FC Goa’s Derrick Pereira: We are a much better side than what the points table reflects

FC Goa head coach Derrick Pereira has stated that his team has been lucky unlucky in terms of results throughout the season and that the points table didn’t tell the entire story of how his team had performed this campaign. Pereira’s men endured a 3-2 defeat against Hyderabad FC in the Hero Indian Super League (ISL) at the Athletic Stadium in Goa on Saturday.

A brace from Bartholomew Ogbeche and a goal from Joao Victor saw HFC establish an unassailable lead over the Gaurs. Devendra Murgaonkar and Jorge Ortiz scored for FC Goa but it wasn’t enough to overturn the result.

FC Goa, courtesy of their second successive defeat, remains rooted to ninth on the points table. Pereira addressed the media after the game. Here are some excerpts from his press conference:

Did you believe that your team could take away a point when you were trailing 2-3 in the match?

Absolutely, I believe that we could perform. We believe in ourselves. Like I keep saying this again and again that we are on a much better side than what the table shows. But somehow luck, decisions by people on the pitch and even our decisions are not going our way. I’m not complaining, it’s football. Yes, we could still do better. We always go with an intent to do well in the match and somehow we end up either losing or drawing the match.

What are the positives you take from this game?

The efforts put in by the players. It was a much better performance the last match. Our team put in a lot of effort, and they combined well as a team. We had our chances, but we couldn’t convert them. In the remaining two matches we want to end well.

Jorge Ortiz has been the best player in the in the club this season. Will it be difficult to keep him beyond this season?

We will be discussing our future once we finish this league and then only we’ll decide what to do. The management will work on it.