ISL 7: There wasn't much difference between Mumbai, ATKMB, says Habas
Jan 12, 2021
Panaji (Goa) [India], January 12 : After suffering a defeat against Mumbai City FC in the ongoing Indian Super League (ISL), ATK Mohun Bagan coach Antonio Habas said that there was not much difference between the two sides.
Mumbai City FC asserted their dominance by edging out ATK Mohun Bagan 1-0 in a hotly-contested ISL game at Fatorda Stadium here on Monday. The Islanders helped themselves go five points clear at the top of the standings over the second-placed ATK Mohun Bagan right at the halfway stage of the league.
Bartholomew Ogbeche scored a 69th-minute stunner which was enough for the Islanders to get past their rivals and extend their unbeaten run to nine games. His goal was the first that ATKMB conceded from open play this season.
"I didn't see much of a difference between Mumbai City and ATK Mohun Bagan. They got two chances and we got two chances. I am very angry with the team's performance in the first 45 minutes. The team did not find the pace to play but in the second half we improved and maybe we could have scored an equaliser," said Habas during the post-match press conference.
"The idea was to press high from the first minute but they didn't understand and did not press high. The team didn't play well but I don't remember more than one chance of Mumbai in the first half," he added.
The Spanish coach also suggested that the team needs to keep on improving. He also did not like Mumbai's decision to continue the match and then score from that move after Edu Garcia had gone down due to an injury.
"It is about improving. Today we conceded the first goal from open play. In the rest of the matches, we conceded from setpieces. I have to make the players recover immediately and have to think about the next match which is against FC Goa," said Habas.
"When the move happened we were a man down. Edu was down on the ground and they should have kicked the ball out but they continued and scored when we had one player less. It was not fair play and it wasn't good for us," he added.
Mohun Bagan will next lock horns against FC Goa on Sunday.
