"We need more precision to win the upcoming matches"- Antonio Habas
Antonio Habas' ATK Mohun Bagan kicked off their ISL campaign with a dominant 4-2 victory over Kerala Blasters on Friday at the Fatorda Stadium in Goa.
As soon as the game kicked off, the Kolkata-based outfit delved onto their attacking brand of football. New signing Hugo Boumos triumphed on his debut for the Mariners, scoring a brace and joining Roy Krishna and Liston Colaco on the scoresheet.
In response, Ivan Vukomanovic's men netted two goals in ninety minutes, through Sahal Abdul Samad (24') and Jorge Pereyra Diaz (69').
During the official post-match news conference, ATK Mohun Bagan head coach Antonio Habas spoke about the win and his team's performance.
Happy with the three points but we have to improve a lot: ATK Mohun Bagan's Habas
When quizzed about the effect of this win on the team’s motivation, Habas said:
"All the stars had to be the team, the quality, no one player or another player and we have good players, but we have to improve a lot. I’m not happy with the second half because the team was relaxing and had a lot of confidence, I don't want that. We have to improve many things."
Hugo Boumous, the league's highest-paid player, was a dominant force throughout the game. His prowess in midfield boosted the team's creativity. The Mariners' gaffer had his praise for Hugo. However, he emphasized that the team's total contribution is vital. Habas added:
"Hugo Boumous is a good player, and we also have other players. And again as a club, we must build a team rather than focusing on one or two stars. It's a collective squad and after that, the players have to be on the top of their games."
We're not done yet! ✋
🗣️ Check out what our 'Hero of the Match' @adnan_hugo had to say about tonight's performance.
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The Spaniard also expressed support for the new AIFF guidelines. It allows to have only four foreign players in the starting lineup in accordance with the Asian Football Confederation's (AFC) club competition requirements. Habas claims this will foster the league's overall quality.
"It's good for the ISL. But I think in my opinion, the more important thing is that the foreign players who are coming to the Hero ISL are of a good quality."
Witness all the action in 60 secs. Debut goals, penalty and many more! 🔥🤩
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Despite winning by a good margin, ATK Mohun Bagan head coach Antonio Habas was disappointed with his side's second-half performance. As a result, the Spaniard has challenged them to improve before their derby meeting. When asked about conceding two goals in the game as a problem, Habas claimed:
"We had more opportunities to score in the second half, but things didn't go well. But it’s the first match and we need more precision. We need more precision. I’m happy with the three points but we had to improve in the second half."
ATK Mohun Bagan will try to capitalize on their strong start when they face SC East Bengal on November 27. Habas iterated the importance of building wins and taking up the roles of responsibilities.
"Now we have to rest, recover the team, and after that, think about the opponent SC East Bengal. They're for me, is just one more match because (the win) won't give us 5 or 6 points, only three points a game, you know. I don't want to play the match before. I want to play the match at that moment."