Chennaiyin FC’s Owen Coyle Praises Hyderabad FC After Goalless Draw in ISL
Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], October 2: Chennaiyin FC head coach Owen Coyle urged his players to make the most of their chances in the final third after a goalless draw against Hyderabad FC in the Indian Super League (ISL) at the Gachibowli Stadium in Hyderabad on Tuesday. This match marked Chennaiyin FC’s first clean sheet away from home in the ISL this calendar year and the first goalless draw of the ISL 2024-25 season.
Both teams created multiple goal-scoring opportunities but could not break the deadlock. Coyle emphasized the need for his players to improve their crossing in the opposition half to capitalize on their chances. He also praised Hyderabad FC’s young Indian players, particularly Allan Paulista and Abdul Rabeeh, for their performance.
“I think Hyderabad FC were always dangerous on the counterattack. Allan (Paulista), the striker, is a very good player, and I think he will be a handful, and (Abdul) Rabeeh is a very exciting young Indian player, one that I think has a real chance of having a very good career. I really like that kid. Ramhlunchhunga also. They are dangerous players,” Coyle said in the post-match press conference.
Despite dominating the game, Coyle acknowledged the threat posed by Hyderabad FC’s quick counterattacks, particularly from Rabeeh and Allan. He noted that while his team had great chances, their crossing could have been better.
Hyderabad FC, led by captain Alex Saji, displayed a resilient defensive performance, even after going down to ten men following Parag Shrivas’s red card. The 2021-22 ISL Cup winners managed to keep their first clean sheet at home since the 2022-23 ISL playoffs against Mohun Bagan SG.
Coyle praised Hyderabad FC’s spirited performance and the support from their fans, which helped them hold on to a clean sheet. He also highlighted the crucial saves made by Hyderabad FC goalkeeper Arshdeep Singh, particularly a remarkable save from Lukas Brambilla’s header.
With this draw, Chennaiyin FC remains winless in their last two outings, despite a promising start with a comeback win against Odisha FC in their opening game.
Doubts Revealed
Chennaiyin FC -: Chennaiyin FC is a football (soccer) team based in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. They play in the Indian Super League (ISL).
Owen Coyle -: Owen Coyle is the head coach of Chennaiyin FC. A coach is like a teacher for the football team, helping players improve and plan strategies.
Hyderabad FC -: Hyderabad FC is another football team in the Indian Super League, based in Hyderabad, Telangana, India.
Goalless Draw -: A goalless draw means that neither team scored any goals during the match, so the game ended with a score of 0-0.
ISL -: ISL stands for Indian Super League, which is a professional football league in India where different teams from various cities compete.
Gachibowli Stadium -: Gachibowli Stadium is a sports stadium located in Hyderabad, Telangana, India, where football matches and other sports events are held.
Clean Sheet -: A clean sheet in football means that a team did not allow the opposing team to score any goals during the match.
Crossing -: In football, crossing means kicking the ball from the side of the field into the area in front of the goal, hoping a teammate can score.
Alex Saji -: Alex Saji is the captain of Hyderabad FC. A captain is a player who leads the team on the field and often motivates and guides other players.
Arshdeep Singh -: Arshdeep Singh is the goalkeeper for Hyderabad FC. A goalkeeper’s job is to stop the ball from going into their team’s goal.
