ISL 2023-24: If the score was 3-0, 4-0, it would have been fair – Manolo Marquez after win against East Bengal FC

FC Goa head coach Manolo Marquez feels it would have been a fair result if they had won by either 3-0 or 4-0 against East Bengal FC in the 18th match week of the ongoing Indian Super League at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Goa on Wednesday.

The Gaurs registered a 1-0 win against the Red and Gold Brigade to end their five-match winless streak. FC Goa’s striker Noah Sadaoui scored in the 42nd minute to give a lead to Marquez’s team.

FC Goa dominated the game with 57.7% possession and took a total of 17 shots, seven of them on target but could only convert a solitary attempt.

“I’m very happy because we won, and this is the most important thing in football,” he said in the post-match press conference.

The Spanish tactician rued the fact that his players could not grab their chances and register a big win against the Kolkata-based club.

“But if today we don’t score three or four goals, when will we score? I know that after a couple of bad results, it’s difficult. But, sometimes, when you have suffered in terms of finishing, you can win a game easily,” he asserted.

The gaffer feels he was unlucky with the substitutions when he took off Carlos Martinez but the hosts was forced to change their plans after Borja Herrera was injured.

“One moment of the game was very unlucky when we substituted Carlos Martinez, because for me, if not the best, he was one of the best players on the pitch. I substituted him because I thought, with Borja (Herrera) and Noah (Sadoui), we could arrive at counter-attacks. And two minutes later, when Borja (Herrera) was injured, we had to change our plans. Even Paulo Retre played very well after coming in.”

FC Goa had their chances but the players could not grab them, which left Marquez disappointed.

“The number of chances we missed today, for me, is incredible. If the score was 3-0 or 4-0, maybe it would be fair,” he commented.

FC Goa will next take on Punjab FC at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Delhi on Monday.