Super Cup 2019: Akbar Nawas credits his players for win against Pune City

I-League champions Chennai City FC started their Super Cup campaign like how they finished their league campaign as they eliminated FC Pune City with a 4-2 win. By doing so, they have now set up a quarter-final date with Indian Super League (ISL) champions Bengaluru FC.

Coach Akbar Nawas credited his players and was pleased with the fact that they did not show any complacency after clinching the I-League title. He said, “I think it was a good game. Credit to the players, credit to (Pedro) Manzi for scoring the goals. Everyone put in the hard work and they showed what they were throughout the whole season. They won the league and showed today that they still have the hunger to go out there and do the best that they can.

“Even with the red card, we did not want to change how we play. Like from day one, we always start looking for goals. We still maintained the shape of 4-4-1. Again, if the players had not believed in themselves and not done their job, they wouldn’t have got the goals.

“He works for the team. As a striker, he wants to score goals but he thinks about the team first, wherever he plays. That character defines him. That’s why he scores so many goals. When you put the team first, you will do well yourself. He has been a great captain for us,” Nawas explained.

Chennai City now face Bengaluru in a must-win game but Nawas is unfazed by the fact that they will be up against the ISL champions. The Chennai City gaffer wants his team to give their best like they do in every game and then see how things go.

“We go into every game wanting to win it. If we lose or draw, we need to sit down and reflect on what went wrong and how we can improve. Bengaluru FC are ISL champions and we are I-League champions but that doesn’t matter when the referee blows the whistle to start the game. We just have to go out there, do what we do best and see what happens,” he concluded.