Hopefully this is just a stepping stone going forward: Thangboi Singto
(Courtesy : ISL Media)
Thangboi Singto's Hyderabad FC were gifted a late equaliser to dash the hopes of the hosts.
Hyderabad FC secured their first points of the Indian Super League 2023-24 season after a 1-1 draw with Mumbai City FC at the Mumbai Football Arena on Saturday, 28 October 2023. The Nizams went down by a goal despite playing with one extra man, following a red card shown to MCFC goalie Phurba Lachenpa in the first half. However, a late equaliser through an own goal by Tiri meant that the points were shared in the end.
Talking to the media during the post-match press conference, Hyderabad FC’s head coach Thangboi Singto credited the draw to his team’s determination and willingness to fight until the final whistle.
Here is a look at what else he had to say after overseeing HFC collect the first point of the 2023-24 Indian Super League campaign:
Praise for the players
Thangboi Singto was quick to credit his players for salvaging a draw against Mumbai City FC, the defending ISL Shield winners. “It would have been heart-breaking if we didn't garner a point at least because it would have been a fourth loss. But big, big cheers and credit to the players. They dug in, they stuck in, and they kept on going and going. We were telling the boys that hard work pays off and today that made the difference,” he said.
Need to score more goals
Thangboi Singto also spoke about being more clinical in front of goal after seeing his team make several inroads into MCFC’s defensive third but failing to execute their chances. In this context, he said, “We are definitely creating chances in the final third. But, we need to be more clinical in terms of putting the ball in the net. We had more than 10 shots, but with the way we are sometimes the one shot we had on target was a goal. I think that should cheer up the boys again. They are professionals and they know that however much better you play, however much possession you have, if you don't put the ball in the net, then you don't win games.”
The tactician concluded the interaction by hoping that the draw against a tough side like Mumbai City FC would act as a stepping stone and lead to better results in forthcoming games. “Hopefully this is just a stepping stone going forward,” he said.
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