Mumbai City FC head coach Des Buckingham was happy to be on the winning side after his men managed a hard-fought 2-1 win over Kerala Blasters at the Mumbai Football Arena on Sunday.
The home team scored first courtesy of Jorge Pereyra Diaz. Kerala Blasters came back in the game with a Danish Farooq equalizer. However, it was Lalengmawia Ralte’s strike which proved to be the winning goal of the game for the Islanders.
Before this game, Mumbai City FC played three consecutive away games in the ISL and in the AFC Champions League. It also included a long flight to Uzbekistan where they faced Navbahor. Buckingham felt that his men were suffering from exhaustion and he was happy that they still came out and won the match.
Buckingham accepts that his team suffered from various issues before this game but they still never gave up and played really well to leave the ground with all three points against the Kerala Blasters.
“For the players to do what they have just done and work as hard as they have, I’m extremely pleased with it (the performance). We have a way in which we want to play, which is attractive and attacking football. But sometimes, you don’t get to do that. We came up against a very good Kerala Blasters FC side with very good players and they made it very tough. Other teams will (too), and we know this. We need to find different ways to win. And that fight, that aggression and determination especially on the back of what has been a long and tiring two-and-a-half weeks, was very good to see,” Buckingham stated at the post-match press conference.
Buckingham also praised Apuia for the shift that he puts in every day. It was his first goal of this season for the youngster, he may score more goals this season because he is playing in a more advanced role. The Englishman is very impressed with his overall development as a player. “I can’t speak highly enough of Apuia. He’s a young player, he’s 22. This is my third season with him. When I signed, he was at 6, a defensive midfield player who had a breakout season with NorthEast United FC (before he joined Mumbai City FC),” Buckingham pointed out.
The English tactician shared how Apuia has a great attitude and is always looking to work harder every day and improve. Buckingham feels that is the reason he is getting to play more minutes on the field. “He is so open-minded to try new things and learn. His attitude is as good as it can and it should be for a professional footballer at this club. He tries to improve his game everyday, both on and off the field. Because of that, he gets himself more minutes on the field. That’s why he is playing as many minutes as he is and has since I’ve been here and he’s starting to reap the benefits of that,” he concluded.
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