ISL 2024-25: Gerard Zaragoza shares disappointment after draw against FC Goa

Bengaluru FC head coach Gerard Zaragoza shared his disappointment after the 2-2 draw against FC Goa at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium, Bengaluru in the ongoing Indian Super League on Saturday. 

Sandesh Jhingan scored in the seventh minute from a header to give a lead to the Blues and then Sahil Tavora scored from long range to double his team’s lead in the 66th minute.

However, the home team equalized after Ryan Williams and Jorge Pereyra Diaz scored to help their side share the spoils.

Zaragoza urged his players to stay focused throughout the whole match and not concede mistakes, which led to goals.

“I’m not happy because we cannot receive this first goal. Again, we were very good in set pieces until four games ago, and now, in the last games, we receive one goal each game in set pieces, and that cannot be possible if we want to be on top,” he said in the post-match press conference.

“Then we did everything, everything to return to the game and (then) the second goal of them (by Tavora). But then, the players, the Kanteerava (crowd) and the people, they showed that they won. They showed that here, it’s not easy to win for any club and for any coach. That’s important,” he further added, showering praise on their loyal fanbase, who motivated the home team throughout the game with their vocal support.

Meanwhile, the Blues have conceded 15 goals in their last seven matches after maintaining a clean sheet in their first five matches of the season.

“No, I’m not disappointed. I’m so happy. In the first matches, we won 1-0, and the question was if we didn’t attack enough. Now we are attacking; we score goals,” he acknowledged.

“Of course, we receive (goals) again, two goals. I’m not happy because we are receiving goals every match and not one. But we are arriving (in the box); we have goals. Today again, players like Jorge (Pereyra Diaz), Vinith (Venkatesh), and (Alberto) Noguera were very good on the pitch.. We have a lot of attacking players, and we could be proud of them,” he continued.

Bengaluru FC will next take on Chennaiyin FC at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Chennai on 28th December.