Mumbai City FC head coach Petr Kratky wants his players to be more consistent after a scrappy 3-2 win against East Bengal FC at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan, Kolkata in the ongoing Indian Super League on Monday.
The Islanders took a 2-0 lead after Chhangte and Nikos Karelis found the back of the net before the first half. But the home team bounced back as Panwar scored an own goal whereas Lalhlansanga scored in the 83rd minute.
However, the visitors secured all three points as Karelis scored his second goal of the night. The tourists had 44.7% possession and took eight shots on target.
“I think the first half was okay. We kept possession, created chances and scored two goals. I was not very happy about the second half. These were not very pretty three points. I take that today,” Kratky said in the post-match press conference.
“We have to keep working so that it’s pretty. It’s a fantastic achievement to get three points against a very good team with a very good coach. They made it difficult for us especially at the start of the second half. We have to be more consistent,” he added.
Kratky observed that his team took a defensive approach after taking a 2-0 lead and he was not impressed with it.
“2-0 is a risky scoreline. After scoring the second goal, we started dropping deep. It’s something that I really don’t like,” he continued.
The Czech coach showered praise on captain Chhangte, who ended his seven-game goal-scoring drought on Monday.
“Chhangte is a very good player. He is a captain for a reason. He scored a goal today which will boost his confidence. This position in the centre of the pitch suits him more,” he said.
“Last season too, he picked up in the second half of the season. Hard work always pays off and he is the most hardworking person in the club. He will start flourishing in the second half of the season,” he added.
Mumbai City will next face Jamshedpur FC at the Mumbai Football Arena on Sunday.
