ISL 2023-24: We worked much better after taking the lead – Juan Ferrando after win against Bengaluru FC

Mohun Bagan Super Giant head coach Juan Ferrando reckons they played better after taking the lead against Bengaluru FC in the second match week of the ongoing Hero Indian Super League 2023-24 season at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata on Monday.

The Mariners, reigning champions, defeated the previous season’s runners-up Blues by 1-0 after Hugo Boumous scored in the 67th minute for the hosts.

In fact, the home team dominated the possession with 66% but could only take a solitary shot on target.

“I think it’s necessary to control all the spaces. In the end, we created more chances. During the last minutes, we were able to create chances because the opponent was more focused on transitioning than playing their normal style. My target, obviously, for the next matches is to try to keep possession of the ball and find spaces (effectively),” Ferrando stated in the post-match conference.

“We have had more chances today; in the last minutes, we have two, three: Manvir (Singh), Dimitri (Petratos), and Asish Rai. But the team was anxious. I think sometimes this anxiety can be a significant obstacle in football. You need to stay composed and in control of the situations,” he added.

The Spaniard was happy with their second win of the season but reckons they need to improve in the upcoming matches to get the desired results.

“Obviously, we need to improve. I believe that paying attention to many details in situations like this is necessary to better control the space. After the match was tied at 0-0, we improved significantly after going up 1-0. However, the team struggled to control the spaces, so we must work on maintaining that control. This is why we need more training sessions,” the Spaniard explained.

On the other hand, Hugo Boumous continued to impress in the ISL. The French midfielder explained how his team was able to breach the opposition’s defense.

“By working on the move, occupying space with Liston and Manvir on the wings, along with me and Sahal, Dimi, and Liston making runs behind the defence to find space behind their midfield, we aimed to operate quickly and force the opposition to move laterally, ultimately wearing them down until we found the best opportunity to attack. However, we still had chances tonight,” he said.

“We could have certainly performed better and created clearer chances with improved decision-making and a more refined approach, making the quality of our play more accessible. It’s up to us to keep improving week by week,” added Boumous.

Mohun Bagan Super Giant will next take on Chennaiyin FC on 7th October at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Chennai.