ISL 7: Giving Lalengmawia captaincy shows that he has my full trust, says coach Nus
Dec 01, 2020
Panaji (Goa) [India], December 1 : NorthEast United FC continued their unbeaten run in the seventh edition of the Indian Super League (ISL) with a 1-1 draw against FC Goa at the Fatorda Stadium on Monday.
After the match, the Highlanders' head coach Gerard Nus showered praise on his skipper Lalengmawia, who led NorthEast against Goa to become the youngest ever captain in league history.
The youngster seemed unfazed by the added responsibility of being skipper, putting in a brilliant display and Nus admitted that handing him the captain's armband was a sign of the trust that he has in Lalengmawia.
"It is amazing to have one of the most talented Indian players with us. He has been part of the U-19 national team for India and I am sure he will be in the first team sooner or later. Giving him the captaincy shows that he has my full trust," Nus said at the post-match press conference.
The Spaniard was content with the work rate shown by his players to keep Goa's attackers at bay.
"I am satisfied with the work rate of my team. We wanted to win and we came here with that mentality," said the coach.
"But at the same time, we knew that we were facing a team that topped the league table last season. It was a big test, and I am grateful for what I have seen from my players," Nus added.
Nus made several changes to his team ahead of the match with the likes of Provat Lakra, Idrissa Sylla and Britto PM getting their first starts for the Highlanders this season. And NorthEast's head coach was happy with the performance of these players, especially full-back Lakra.
"It was not a risk at all because Lakra is a player with huge experience. I am happy with what I saw from him in the training sessions. This is one player I am lucky to have in the squad and that is why he played in the game," said Nus.
"We saw some new players in action, which is very positive. It was not just 11 players who made the squad... I am pleased to see my players performing well," he added.
NorthEast United FC will next lock horns with SC East Bengal on Saturday.
