The most important thing is the mentality to score more goals than the opponent.
The last time a Mohun Bagan player found the net four times in a single match, dates back to 2009, when we handed our rival neighbours a memorable 5–3 defeat in the I-League. On that night, history was written in a derby. This time, it came through the boots of Maclaren, whose ruthless finishing lit up the VYBK once again.
The Mariners’ 5–1 victory over Odisha was their second consecutive result by the same scoreline, underlining the attacking intent that has become a hallmark of Sergio Lobera’s side this season. Speaking in the post-match press conference, Lobera appeared pleased with the performance though he remained characteristically measured.
“When we win and we are in the position that we are in, I am happy,” the Spaniard said. “The players played a very good game. It is a very good result and we need to be happy, for sure.” Two consecutive 5–1 victories have raised questions about Mohun Bagan’s defensive solidity, but Lobera was quick to defend his philosophy. For him, attacking football and calculated risk are part of the team’s identity.
“If we put all the focus on not conceding goals, maybe we will win 1–0,” he explained. “I prefer to win 5–1. Maybe we assume some risk, but those risks allow us to score more goals.” The coach acknowledged that clean sheets remain desirable, but emphasized that the team’s mentality must always be to outscore the opponent.
“Of course, we want clean sheets and we don’t want to concede goals,” he added. “But the most important thing is the mentality to score more goals than the opponent.”
Despite the convincing scoreline, Lobera believes there is still room for improvement, particularly in game management. “I think we need to improve in the second half,” he said. “There were too many transitions from attack to defence and then from defence to attack. When you are leading 4–1 at Half Time, you need to manage the game better and control the ball.”
Even so, the Spaniard praised the attitude of his players, highlighting their hunger to keep progressing.
“I am very happy with the mentality of my players,” Lobera said. “They are ambitious and they know how we can improve! They are working very hard in every training session to become better.” Attention also turned to the challenging fixtures ahead, including away trips to Bengaluru and Jamshedpur and a home clash against Mumbai City. Lobera, however, refused to look too far ahead. “Our focus must be only on the next step, how we can beat Bengaluru,” he said. “Thinking about where we will be at the end of the season would be a big mistake.” When asked about Maclaren’s four-goal heroics, Lobera remained true to his long-standing philosophy of emphasizing on the collective over individuals. “You know me. I don’t like to speak too much about individualities,” he said. “The most important thing is the team. When the team works well, individual players can shine.” Lobera also provided an update on Robson, who has been recovering from injury. “We need to wait for the next training session to see his situation,” Lobera explained. “Hopefully, it will be possible for him to recover for the next game.” Then came the man of the evening himself: FOUR-MIDABLE MACLAREN Maclaren’s four-goal display not only sealed the win but also reinforced his reputation as one of the most clinical strikers in Asian football. Yet, the Australian forward reserved all credit for his teammates rather than his own finishing. “As a striker, you always set little goals and milestones.” Maclaren said. “At the moment I have more goals than games, but there will be matches where it becomes difficult. I will just stay positive and take it step by step.” For the 32-year-old, success in front of goal is rarely an individual effort. “I’m only as good as the guys behind me,” he said. “They know my movements because we work on them in training. Tonight, Liston gave me two great assists. That’s not by chance!” Maclaren also dismissed suggestions that scoring goals in the ISL has become easy. “It’s not easy,” he insisted. “I worked very hard tonight to get those four goals. They didn’t come by chance.” The Australian striker also enjoyed playing alongside fellow international forwards Dimitrios Petratos and Jason Cummings, with the trio starting together for the first time in ISL. “The connection is there,” he said. “We’ve played together in the National Team [of Australia], and we combine every day in training. But the credit also goes to players like Apuia and Thapa who give us the service.” When asked to choose his favourite amongst the four goals, Maclaren mentioned the opener. “I would say the first one,” he said. “It’s always important to score the first goal. I’m not the tallest player, but if I get in the right position with a good cross, I can score with my head.” Despite the personal milestone, Maclaren reserved special dedication for someone close to his heart. “I had an uncle pass away in America this week,” he revealed. “You saw me point to the sky after the first goal — that one was for him.” He also dedicated the performance to the Mohun Bagan supporters who were waiting patiently to see the Australian striker at his best. “I dedicate this to our fans,” he said. “They’ve waited a long time for a performance like this. I want to give them pride every single week.” With 12 points from four matches and an impressive goal difference, the Mariners have made a perfect start to the season. Yet Maclaren insisted that the squad remained focused on the bigger picture. “We’re sitting first in the table, but we’re not getting caught up in the noise,” he said. “Our focus is on ourselves and winning the next game.” Next up is a challenging away fixture against Bengaluru FC. Maclaren expects another tough contest but remains confident about the Mariners’ chances. “That's our mantra”, he said. “That's our aura, and we believe that every single match, we want to win those games. It will be tough, yes, but our main goal is to go there and bring home the three points back to Kolkata.” But the story of the evening was not written only in goals. The VYBK was supposed to be quieter. With spectator restrictions in place and only half the tickets released for sale, many expected a subdued atmosphere for a Friday late-afternoon kick-off. Yet 29,777 supporters still made their way into the Salt Lake Stadium. The drums rolled, the chants echoed across the stands, and the Green-and-Maroon followers turned the evening into another celebration. And for them, this night will always belong to one man. Four goals from Jamie Maclaren – four reminders of what a ruthless striker can do when the Mariners find their rhythm. Mohun Bagan are not just winning games. They are building momentum. With 9 more games remaining, all eyes on the National Club as they march towards the three-peat!
