ISL 2024-25: FC Goa coach Manolo Marquez alleges Mumbai City of time-wasting after loss in West Coast derby

In two separate instances in either half, Mumbai City players – Nikolaos Karelis and Phurba Lachenpa – went down with injuries when Goa was building up for an attack.

“A City Football Group team winning a match like this is strange. These kinds of situations didn’t happen with the former coach [Des Buckingham]. They played football when they win or lose,” Marquez said during the post-match press conference. | Photo Credit: ISL Media

FC Goa head coach Manolo Marquez cried foul at Mumbai City FC’s deliberate time-wasting, during their Indian Super League (ISL) clash here on Saturday.

Goa lost 1-2 in a tightly fought contest and sits eighth on the table with five points from as many games.

“A City Football Group team winning a match like this is strange. These kinds of situations didn’t happen with the former coach [Des Buckingham]. They played football when they win or lose,” Marquez said during the post-match press conference.\

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In two separate instances in either half, Mumbai City players – Nikolaos Karelis and Phurba Lachenpa – went down with injuries in the 34th and 63rd minute, respectively, when Goa was building up for an attack.

The fourth official added eight minutes of added time, which also saw more stoppages in play after Lachenpa, again, and Jon Toral went down with knocks.

Marquez added, “I was very surprised. I didn’t expect wasting time, going to the ground easily, and stopping the game. But if they do [wasting time], the problem is for the referee.”

Mumbai City head coach Petr Kratky, whose team won its maiden game of the season, defended his team’s actions.

“There were a lot of kicks today, it was a physical game. We don’t advise players to stay down. It’s [going down injured] part of football. If they are tired from the kicks, we push them to keep going, but if they can’t, then they can’t.

“Everyone has an opinion. From our side, we don’t advise that. I respect Manolo’s opinion, it is what it is. If it has changed because I came, I don’t know that. I see football around the world, where it’s part of the game, where players go down when kicked. That’s how I see it,” said Kratky.