Captured by : Sagun Gawade
Was today’s game a case of Karim beating Karim? Asked onejournalist. Bencherifa stopped for a while and replied: “As I said earlier, Icongratulate the team (Salgaocar) and the coach for their performance.”
Off target though was the answer, so was Kolkata’s top clubMohun Bagan, which lost 2-0 to Salgaocar Football Club, their first loss afterthey were handed a reprieve by All India Football Federation.
That the Duler tie would be volatile was a foregoneconclusion but that it would end in a one-sided affair, was unexpected.Bencherifa who left Salgaocar for the Mariners in November last year was beatenin more ways than one, firstly it was Mohun Bagan’s first loss this season toSalgaocar and with no points on the table, relegation fears surfaced.
“It’s a huge challenge, there’s no doubt about it. But thismatch for me is over,” he said at the post-match press conference. It game surewas over for 44 year old coach, and also the end of the loud jeers from thestands admonishing him.
“I am very happy and proud with my players and despite thehype around the game and the way it was done, sometimes baseless things thatwere going on I think the players kepttheir cool and came up with a very decent performance which makes mehopeful for the coming matches,” saidthe Moroccan carefully doling out his words.
“I just want to face the challenge. Eight or nine wins willdo for us as we have 16 games for now. We have to start winning as we can havedays of bad games and this is one of them. But we will bounce back,” said thecoach.
The mariners have a long way to go and in his words, “weneed 28 to 30 points to be safe.”
