ISL 2017-18: It was our best performance at home asserts Coppell

AFTER COMING back to take the lead before half time, Jamshedpur FC could not help concede and the game finished in a 2-2 draw.

Steve Coppell, looked a happy man at the post match press conference. He shared his assessment of the game saying,

“Looking at the first half, once again we started strongly. They (Mumbai City FC) obviously have quality and it showed in both their goals. I thought it was a real challenge for the team to respond after conceding. I think that’s just what they did. They really, really had a go. The effort level and the intensity was top quality.”

Coppell continued, 

“We went 2-1 up but we know that Mumbai are dangerous. We had a really strong spell at the start of the second half and we needed to score then. And Mumbai rotate their players around in different positions. And it’s sad when we conceded the second goal because the players gave everything. I can only compliment on the way they went about the task tonight.”

On the performance of his team on the defensive point of view, the Englishman said,

“In terms of attacking play, I think it was our best,”

He continued,

“Defensively, we were the losers because we tried to commit more players forward. But all in all, I can’t complain. It was our best performance at home, we got in some great positions around the touchline, that final ball wasn’t accurate enough. I think it’s pleasing but in many ways, we shouldn’t have given away the three points.”

Before concluding, he gave an update regarding star defender Anas Edathodika’s groin injury.

“Physically he has recovered,” the 62-year-old revealed. “But there’s a big difference between running on a training pitch and playing in the heat of the competition. Again, the pitch was a big concern for me because his groin is what lifts his leg out of the ground. He hasn’t played for a month and he’s only had three days training with the rest of the team. I hope that… he’ll be more match fit soon.”