I-League 2017: Albert Roca: Bengaluru FC tried everything, what else could we have done?

Bengaluru FC were held to a goalless draw by ten-man Mohun Bagan at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bangalore on Saturday. Subhashish Bose's sending off and Katsumi Yusa's disallowed goal were the key talking points from the game that left either side reeling about a lost opportunity.

The home side's gaffer Albert Roca said that his team's mentality is always to go and try to win the game. But he added that they were let down by sub-par end product.

“About mentality, it’s always the same. My team goes out to try and win the game. But there’s something, a little bit lacking, some quality in the final third. Today was a hard game, Mohun Bagan are a very good team. We tried, but it was difficult, and the final result is fair,” he felt.

Left-back Nishu Kumar had a night to forget as Yusa was running rings around him the whole night. Roca defender the youngster, saying he could be an important player for the future.

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“Nishu did a very good job in the last two games. He’s a 19-year-old guy, like Udanta Kumam and Daniel Lalhlimpuia. We have to give them time and opportunities to play these kind of big games so they learn and grow. He picked up a yellow in the first half, so couldn’t go all in after that. He can be an important player for the future,” said the Spaniard.

He went to bemoan how his side tried everything to break down a resilient Mariners' backline.

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“We tried everything, we went to three defenders, two strikers up front, Sunil (Chhetri) behind them. What else could we have done? We cannot put twenty players. We were generating chances but it is difficult when there are two banks of four and they were refusing to attack,” claimed the former Barcelona assistant.

He couldn't stifle a chuckle when asked about the refereeing on the night, as several contentious decisions were made by the referee.

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“What do you think? (Laughs) I cannot talk too much about the referees. We have seen decisions that change the destiny of the game. I cannot understand how that happens. Sunil was brought down in the box - that should have been a penalty, maybe even a red card. But the referee decided nothing.

"I have to be honest, also the goal of Mohun Bagan that the referee did not allow. Was it a handball? I don’t know, I will have to see. I cannot talk too much about the referees,” he concluded in an oxymoronic fashion.