Igor Angulo was good, so were Mumbai City concedes Juan Ferrando

The FC Goa tactician also gave an important injury update on Brandon Fernandes.

Led by head coach Juan Ferrando, FC Goa played their first match in the eighth edition of the Indian Super League (ISL) against Mumbai City FC on Monday. The team were pumped up after their Durand Cup triumph, but the result against the defending champions didn’t seem convincing enough.

The Gaurs lost their away match against Mumbai City 3-0, courtesy two beautiful goals from the former Gaur and current Mumbai striker, Igor Angulo and one from Ygor Catatau, who made his league debut. The first goal came in the 33rd minute after Cassio Gabriel was fouled inside the penalty box by Ivan Gonzalez. A brilliant left-footed shot went past Dheeraj Singh Moirangthem, whose diving attempt failed to stop the ball from reaching its target.

The second goal portrayed the class of the 37-year-old Spanish forward. The pass from Raynier Fernandes was received perfectly by Angulo, whose left-footed strike went past Dheeraj. Ygor Catatau came off the bench and scored from his first touch on the 76th minute, via a header from a Ahmed Jahouh free-kick.

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Juan Ferrando attended the post-match press conference and interacted with the media. Here’s what he had to say:

What went wrong for FC Goa?

https://youtu.be/RW0lyPmHGEU

It wasn’t FC Goa’s day, with the entire team failing to live up to its expectations. Juan Ferrando pointed out some mistakes committed by his team.

“I think it’s very clear. In transitions, all the time when we were playing in attack, we lost control of the areas. Then in a lot of transitions, Mumbai had more chances against us. I think it’s a big problem for us because when we are in attack, it is important to put attention in control," he said.

What did not click?

When asked about the exact aspect of the game which didn’t click for the Gaurs against Mumbai City, the tactician stated, “Today, I think it’s a lot of details. It is not possible to talk about one or two points. It’s a detail-by-detail.

"For example, in the first half, we were in possession in attack. The control from the winger was not good. Then we lost the ball. Then the press was not good and then step-by-step Mumbai were in possession in attack. It’s difficult because there are a lot of details.”

Importance of bouncing back quickly before next match

FC Goa will be facing Jamshedpur FC in their next encounter on Friday, 26th of November. The 3-0 loss to Mumbai will have a mental impact on the players. But, it will be important for the Gaurs to bounce back as quickly as possible because they are one of the title contenders this season.

“The most important thing is the emotion of the team. Of course, this night is difficult for us and the players. Now, the most important thing is to wake up early tomorrow and start preparing for the Jamshedpur game. It is important to think about this last game (against Mumbai City), but it is more important for the dressing room to control the emotions," Ferrando reminded his players.

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Injury concerns

Brandon Fernandes and Muhammed Nemil are the two players who are still injured. Jorge Ortiz however, has recovered from his injury and also got a few minutes to his name today.

Regarding the injury concerns of Brandon, the 40-year-old tactician commented, “Yes, Brandon was injured while with the national team. He is in the process of recovery. In this case, we need time because it’s not so easy and they are not ready for the team.”

Regarding Igor Angulo

Igor Angulo was rightly named the “Man of the Match” after his performance against FC Goa. The Spanish forward was a part of the FC Goa contingent last season and went on to become the joint-top scorer with 14 goals in his bag. He has already fired two in the first match against the Gaurs this season.

When asked about the former FC Goa striker, Juan Ferrando was full of praise. “I know Igor is a good No. 9. Last season everybody knows him. He is a good boy, a good player. But, for us, it is not to think about one player, rather the team. Of course, Igor was very good and scored today. But, also the team was perfect," he concluded.

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