MUMBAI, JUNE 06,
Sandesh Jhingan slogged to clear the ball on a watery pitch in the first half, worked harder in the second half to contain the pacy Kenyans on a surface where the ball moved.
With three goals confirming victory, he limped off the pitch amidst applause for contribution in keeping the backline together.
Replying to a query about the team feeling any pressure to perform in front of 8000-plus fans packing a compact Mumbai Football Arena, he said:
“I look forward to playing in a (full) stadium, with there are people to watch. It gave us extra motivation.
When we entered the stadium in the team bus and saw people present to welcome us, it gave us that extra push. We were talking about this in the dressing room. Fans came and we had to deliver. We did (deliver a win).”
Good crowd
Asked to describe the MFA experience, he said: “I’m lucky enough to have played in front of good fans, be it for Kerala Blasters in front of the Manjapada (yellow army) or for India in front of the Blue Pilgrims (India supporters). I’m really glad to play in Mumbai.”
Coach Stephen Constantine, reacting to a question about fans coming in huge numbers to cheer Chhetri, said: “We should not be begging people to come and watch the national team (play). It (fan attendance) was just unbelievable from the Blue Pilgrims and other people”.
