I-League 2017: Luis Norton de Matos found Mohun Bagan players more nervous than his boys

It was a muscle-flexing display of sorts from Luis Norton de Matos’ boys at their opponent, Mohun Bagan’s backyard. If it was not in the actual encounter, it was very much embedded in their playing ideology for sure. It certainly helped their cause and instead of having to contend with a big-ticket team worthy of its fame, they just about had to see off a damp squib of a paper tiger.

As expected Bagan started strong but by the 16th minute Arrows began to come into their own so much so that Matos mentioned during the course of the post-match conference that, "After 10-15 minutes I felt the team was very confident on the field."

Though MB took the lead on the wings of a dubious penalty decision that Dicka converted, the sprightly boys reclaimed parity within just six minutes. It would be the only time that they could make incisive in roads into the mariner’s defensive third and they made it count.

When his time came to be heard in the media interaction, Matos, impacted a stinging rap on MB’s bare-boned knuckles. While answering whether he gained a point or lost two, the avuncular coach pondered aloud, “I think the game has two phases – before and after the red card – if we were with the eleven players I think we can fight for the victory because the game was very similar (read: balanced) but I felt the players of Mohun Bagan were more nervous than us!”.

Further rubbing it in, he continued, “We perhaps thought that in the second half, after the transition we can score a goal. We were very concentrated. Even at the beginning of the game there were two or three possibilities that MB can score a goal perhaps and we were strong. But the penalty happened – I had some doubts about the penalty and the team reacted very very well. I think when I talk about experience, the experience comes very slowly in this team and they react very well. They react like a team which is proud in character who wants to fight for a result. “

The red card did put a damp to the Arrow’s scheme of things as Matos went on to explain that, “The 1-1 was very good for us at the half time. But when we saw the red card the situation became very complicated. Because, then MB completely changed the way they played. They stared sending in long balls and we needed to defend. We did organize ourselves to defend well and we concentrated well and never lost our concentration and I am very happy with a point.” At one point he responded jovially that, "If before the game, I had an opportunity to sign for one point – I would have signed immediately. "

His team might have been down by one boy by the 65th minute but they did not make it apparent. It is true that they could not mount a fruitful attack, it was equally true that they did not let their much fancied elders make easy in-roads into their territory.

In between Matos even took a dig at the hurriedly put MB ground : “It was very critical and the pitch was not very good. It was very difficult the way we played. That was not the surprise. The surprise was when we play with ten players. I told the boys in the half time we can win this game if we believe and it is a question of believing. But to come to MB grounds with a junior team – I think it is a fantastic performance by the boys.”

All said, this historic occasion was anything but for the MB club and its fans.