ISL 2023-23: Mumbai City FC is the best team in the league: FC Goa’s Carlos Pena

FC Goa’s head coach Carlos Pena admitted that Mumbai City FC is the best team in the ongoing Hero Indian Super League. The Islanders bested the Gaurs by 5-3 in a goal-fest contest at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Goa on Saturday.

Mumbai City FC has been a force to reckon with in the ongoing ninth season of the league as they are yet to be beaten in the tournament. Des Buckingham’s team has secured 14 wins in 18 matches and sits atop the standings with 46 points.

The home team was given the lead as Moroccan striker Noah Sadaoui scored early in the fifth minute. However, Greg Stewart equalized for the visitors in the 18th minute. Pereyra Diaz gave a 2-1 lead to the tourists in the 40th minute but it was soon canceled after two minutes as Brandon Fernandes scored for the Gaurs.

However, the table-toppers’ talisman Greg Stewart made sure his team went into the halftime break with a 3-2 lead as he scored his second on the stroke of the interval. Chhangte and Vikram then scored in the second half to boost the visiting team’s lead while Brison scored a consolation goal for Pena’s team.

“We tried, we created enough chances to at least get a point against a very good team but with these kinds of teams especially with this (Mumbai City FC) any mistake you make, they’re going to punish you. In the first half, it was not a fair result, they got three chances and scored three goals. We had even more chances but they had a very good level, you cannot make any mistake against them, you need to have a perfect game in defence and it was not possible. Now we focus on our next game against Chennaiyin FC,” Pena said in the official post-match press conference.

He added: “The opponent would be totally different in the next match. Mumbai City FC is the best team in the league with quality players. We faced them with ambition and tried to beat them but today, they were clinical in front of the goal, any chance they got they scored so congratulations to them for the League Shield and we focus on the next match.”

Meanwhile, FC Goa has failed to keep a clean sheet in the last nine games. The Spaniard added that his aim is to win three points and is least bothered about keeping a clean sheet.

“I want to win points, I don’t want to keep clean sheets. They scored with two free kicks and then one goal due to our mistake, another goal in the transition so it’s time to realize that we cannot concede five goals at home against any team. We will try to learn and move on to the next one,” Pena said.

FC Goa will next face Chennaiyin FC on Thursday at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Goa.