ISL 2019-20 | With little bit of work we can get better results, hopes Jorge Costa
ISL
Mumbai City FC coach Jorge Costa was hopeful for a better result with a little bit of work ahead of their home match against unbeaten FC Goa at the Mumbai Football Arena, while admitting that he wasnât expecting an easy game. Midfielder Mohammed Rafique also spoke about his team.
Mumbai City FC will host unbeaten FC Goa at the Mumbai Football Arena on Thursday. The Islanders, after gaining four points in the first two away games, were thrashed by Odisha FC for 4-2 at home. To make things worse, Mumbai are injury-laden with major foreigners on the treatment table.Â
However, Mumbai City FC head coach Jorge Costa, who came heavily upon his players after their loss against Odisha, was hopeful of a better result against the Gaurs with a little bit of more work.Â
âAfter Mumbai City FC head coach Jorge Costa was hopeful for a better result against the Gaurs with a little bit of work.atching the game many times, I can say that with a little bit of work, we can get a better result. But I think that to win a match, you need to fight a lot, and we did not do that in the first half. When you do not perform in the first 45 minutes, you lose the game. We cannot do anything (about it now) as it was a bad day for us, but we cannot repeat the same mistakes we made against Odisha,â Costa told reporters at the pre-match press conference, ISL website reported.
They last faced each other in the playoffs of the last season when Goa thrashed Mumbai 5-1 at the Mumbai Football Arena. And although Mumbai won by a solitary goal in Goa in the reverse leg, it wasn't enough. However, Costa has stated that his side learned from their mistakes and the outcome wonât be so one-sided.
âThe last game we played against FC Goa, we beat them in Goa. But I agree the last season was a difficult season for us against them. They have almost the same team as last season, so they havenât changed a lot. But this is a different season and the good thing is that we learnt from our mistakes and now we know how to beat Goa.â said Costa.
âSo, Iâm not expecting an easy game for sure and they are not expecting an easy game as well. We respect each other. If we do the correct things, we can win. Tomorrow we must be focused, 100 per cent professional and fight till the end to win all three points. I will find solutions, not excuses whatever the result of the game. My job is to find the best XI to play, the best way to play and to put my players to work, to fight and give everything to the club,â the Portuguese coach added.
Mumbai Cityâs long list of injury, however, has kept on increasing with the likes of Mato Grgic, Modou Sougou, and Paulo Machado all out. The latest entrant was Rowlin Borges in the last match although Costa sounded optimistic about his return after the break.Â
âRowlin is out for the game. I donât know exactly how long it will take. Fortunately, we have a game tomorrow and then we have a small break. I hope we can recover some players. As I always say, I am happy with these players, but it is always important to have more.â Costa concluded.
Meanwhile, midfielder Muhammed Rafique who was with Jorge Costa at the presser spoke about the Odisha game and the short break the team got after the match.Â
âWe got six days to build the teamâs confidence level. We got time to recover and we are fresh from the fatigue. We did not have any luck against Odisha. We are like a family even if we win or lose. We listened to the coach and have rectified our mistakes.â said Rafique.
