Mumbai: Mumbai FC coach David Booth believes the team’s maiden loss, 0-1 to Sporting Clube de Goa on Friday, was “probably deserved” but also “perhaps a good thing” to have happened for the I-league debutants.

“Now everybody would stop talking about giant-killers and the winning streak. It’s kind of monkey off the back. It takes the pressure off us, so perhaps a good thing,” Booth told The Telegraph on Saturday. “It is not a bad thing. We won three away games including two in Calcutta. And if we win our next three, I will take it.”

The Englishman said the team simply failed to apply themselves but cautioned the critics and fans against trying to find too many reasons for the loss.

“We didn’t do justice in the first half. In the second half we controlled the tempo but couldn’t score,” he said. “The goalkeeper made a couple of good saves but we didn’t create many chances. We had half-chances but did not make much out of our possession.”

“We probably deserved to lose. We didn’t start well, so we gave the advantage to our rivals. And after the first goal, we were always trying to pull back. But don’t look too much into the carpet. We simply didn’t play well. There are no ins and outs to it.”

Mumbai FC had a spectacular start to their maiden I-League season, winning their first three matches in a row, including against Calcutta giants East Bengal and Mohun Bagan, in away games. They also stunned Mahindra United in a local derby a fortnight ago.

After the loss to Sporting, Booth’s team is placed second in the standings with nine points. Sporting are atop with 12 but have played five matches.

India international Abhishek Yadav said the rivals became ultra-defensive after scoring their goal through Nigerian striker Junior Elijah in the 17th minute.