AGENCIES
MUMBAI
Atlético de Kolkata broke their three-match losing streak in the 2015 Hero Indian Super League (ISL) on Sunday evening when they beat hosts Mumbai City FC 4-1 at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai. Canadian striker Iain Hume was the architect of the win as he scored a hat-trick but head coach Antonio Lopez Habas credited the entire team.
“We don't have any magical players. We have to be confident with all our players. The whole team was fantastic. Right from the keeper to the forward,” Habas told reporters after the game.
However, Habas gave Hume his due credit. “He's a good player who can play in any position. He can play from right winger to defender because he's fantastic,” he said.
When asked what it was that clicked for them on Sunday, Habas said: “I'm very happy with my players today as I was in the last three games. We had commitment today.”
ATK went into the break leading 2-0 but a Selim Benachour strike in the 71st minute breathed life into the hosts. When asked what his thoughts were at that stage of the match, Habas said: “We had to activate the team. Fortunately today everything worked. Different day, different match. It’s important that the players remain positive.”
Habas also provided an update on injured marquee player Helder Postiga, saying the Portuguese striker was likely to be back from Portugal in the next ten days.
ATK, who moved up to fifth in the table with 10 points from seven matches, now host NorthEast United FC at the Salt Lake Stadium on Saturday.
'Penalty was a big blow'
Mumbai City FC assistant coach Oscar Bruzon believes the penalty conceded by his team in the first half went a long way towards their defeat.
“I think we lost the game in the first half. We played well in the second half,” Bruzon told reporters after the game. “The penalty was a big damage to our state of mind. We were confident for the first 15-20 minutes but ATK played well. They were more eager and hungry than us today.”
Mumbai beat NorthEast United FC 5-1 in their last game and when asked if the hosts were too keen to score on Sunday, Bruzon replied: “We weren't covering all the spaces in the defence. Hume and (Javi) Lara controlled the game (for ATK).”
After a home run of five matches and three successive wins, Mumbai now travel to the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Delhi to play Delhi Dynamos FC who are second in the points table with four wins in six matches. On the prospect of playing Roberto Carlos’ boys on Friday, Bruzon said: “We are going to remain positive. We have an excellent team and we will hold and play well.”
