ISL 2018-19: FC Goa's Sergio Lobera credits team effort against Mumbai City

FC Goa managed to do the double against Mumbai City, who were not too long ago on top of the 2018-19 Indian Super League (ISL) standings.

A 5-0 win in October was followed by a 2-0 away win on Friday night. FC Goa manager Sergio Lobera kept faith in young goalkeeper Mohammad Nawaz who got yet another clean sheet but credited the entire team for the victory.

"Nawaz was brilliant but we did not get the victory only because of him. It was a team effort. I had seen qualities in him and have the confidence that he can turn out to be a very good player for the future. Sometimes you have to take the risk and give confidence to young players," he said.

The Gaurs registered their fifth clean sheet of the season but Lobera could care less. "For me, the most important thing is that we have the highest goal difference in the league. I am not obsessed with clean sheets. I am more worried about the number of goals we score.

"At the end of the league, if we are tied on points with some other team, the number of clean sheets won't matter, what will matter is the goal difference," he quipped. The ISL, though, uses head-to-head to determine the standings if teams are tied on points.

FC Goa are already up to 24 points from their 13 games, four points better than last season at the same stage. The Spaniard owed the success to continuity. He said, "Keeping more or less the same squad from the last year to this season makes it easier.

"Last season there was only one player who knew my philosophy. The whole squad got adapted to my style of football. This year, from the 25 players we have, a lot of them have carried over from the last season and even the new foreign recruitments we made, I have known a few of them from the past."

Lobera brushed aside any speculations of him taking up the vacant India head coach position any time soon, reiterating he was happy in his current job. "I am grateful to the people who are enjoying FC Goa's attacking style of play. I am happy and FC Goa and I am oblivious to any kind of rumours or link ups to the job for the Indian national team

"I respect the Indian team squad a lot because I have been here for two years and I hope they keep on doing well and developing," he concluded.