Having recently secured their first home win in four engagements at their Fatorda base with a hard-
fought 3-2 win over a competent Mumbai FC side, Sporting Clube de Goa boys are buoyed up for better tidings in matches to come at the ongoing I-league. Currently placed fourth in the league table, four points adrift table-toppers Mohun Bagan and Bengaluru FC who are at 15, with only goal difference separating them, the ‘Flaming Oranje’ are gradually getting their act together as the most-awaited national tourney enters its mid-stage.
A day prior to their departure to Kolkata, and post their practice at the artificial turf adjoining the
Fatorda Swimming Pool Complex, the Head Coach of Sporting Clube de Goa, Mateus Costa spoke
exclusively to Basil Sylvester Pinto on his team’s progress.
Excerpts
Q: How would you evaluate your team’s progress at the ongoing I-League?
MC: It has been a good journey. We have just started getting the balance right. The only problem is that we are getting injuries to our key players who are compelled to sit out. After our first defeat against (Kingfisher) East Bengal, we have shown gradual improvement. Our defense has improved a lot, but we still have to work on our finishing which has been our shortcoming.
Q: On the first home win against Mumbai FC on February 14 …
MC: For the first three (home) matches (v East Bengal on January 10, v DSK Shivajians on January 17, v Salgaocar FC on February 11), we were completely dominant in the matches yet we drew in the last two. We finally broke the jinx with our win against Mumbai FC. In this type of league, in the four matches that we have played at home, it was important that we secure the maximum points.
Q: Where was the team lacking in, to win these matches?
MC: Though we created ample chances, we missed the finishing. When nothing was going our way,
Marcus Mascarenhas and Victorino Fernandes were coming in to fill up the deficiency. But
unfortunately, they were benched for the next match owing to injury.
Q: But then, we saw Victorino take to the field in the latter stages of the last match …
MC: Yes, this is true. But he took a knock on his jaw and is under dental treatment. As such, he will be unable to make the trip to Kolkata to take on the defending champions, Mohun Bagan.
Q: It can be termed a lucky win, that the second and third goals came at opportune moments with
Odafa’s penalty conversions to give the team their first morale-boosting home win. Your comment.
MC: It is not that we completely dominated, but we conceded the two goals by silly lapses in defense. Mumbai FC is a good team this year and it was important that we converted the chances we had.
