"The only thing which was not good was the precision in the box" - Mohun Bagan coach Antonio Habas on win over Hyderabad FC | ISL 2023-24
Mohun Bagan Super Giant let pass a flurry of chances in the second half even as they cruised to a comfortable 2-0 win over Hyderabad FC at the Salt Lake Stadium in the Indian Super League on Saturday.
Anirudh Thapa and Jason Cummings were the goal-scorers for the Mariners on the evening even as a young-looking Hyderabad side tried their best to pull at least one goal back in the second half.
Speaking to the media after the game, Mohun Bagan head coach Antonio Lopez Habas mentioned that although the three points were assured for them, his wards lacked in precision in the final third.
“We had three points a long time ago. I think that we had many chances to have a big result and the team had a good performance, good attitude,” Habas said.
"But the only thing which was not good was the precision at the last minute in the box. But, now it is very important for us to recover the players for the next match against FC Goa,” he added.
When asked about the rousing reception that Joni Kauko got from the Mariners' faithful at the Salt Lake, Habas said that he was happy with the time that he spent on the pitch.
“The participation of Joni Kauko is very important for us. The three players from the academy put on a fantastic performance. They have a good future,” Habas stated.
“We thought about the possibility of playing (him for around) 30 minutes. But he played 35 minutes approximately. We don't want to hurry with him because he hasn’t played for over a year. But he is fit and I trust in him,” he added.
"Deepak Tangri, Armando Sadiku and Liston Colaco will all be back after suspension" - Antonio Habas
Mohun Bagan broke their four-game winless streak in the ISL with the three points they garnered against the Nawabs on Saturday.
Although they did not put in the finest of performances on the night, they will be happy with the fact that they got over the line quite comfortably.
Habas was constantly pressed for updates about the recovery status of Asish Rai, Brendan Hamill and Anwar Ali and he did not hesitate to give straight answers.
“It is in the hands of the doctors, but we have the possibility to recover Asish (Rai). Anwar (Ali) I don't know, because we have only three days (before we play against FC Goa), and (Brendan) Hamill I think will not be ready,” Habas shared.
The 66-year-old, however, stated that Deepak Tangri, Armando Sadiku and Liston Colaco will come back after their suspension is over.
“But (Deepak) Tangri, (Armando) Sadiku and Liston Colaco will all be back after their suspensions. So, we will have the possibility to have four more players. It's very important for us because the team will be more competitive if we take them into account,” he concluded.