Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], November 30 (ANI): Hyderabad FC (HFC) head coach Thangboi Singto shared his thoughts after his team suffered sixth defeat of the season, losing to Mumbai City FC (MCFC) on Saturday.
Hyderabad FC endured a narrow 1-0 defeat against Mumbai City FC at the Mumbai Football Arena in the Indian Super League (ISL) here.
The match was decided by a first-half header from Mehtab Singh in the 29th minute, capitalising on a defensive lapse during a set piece. While Hyderabad FC created a few promising chances in an attempt to equalise, they failed to breach Mumbai City FC goalkeeper Phurba Lachenpa’s defence. This marked Hyderabad’s second consecutive defeat and their sixth of the season.
Speaking at the post-match press conference, Hyderabad FC head coach Thangboi Singto praised his players’ effort but highlighted areas for improvement.
“I think the goal was a result of an individual error. When a player is given a responsibility and still allows the opponent a clear header to score, it raises questions. I’m not a coach who blames players, but this was a moment where responsibility wasn’t fully taken. The players tried hard to bounce back–they ran tirelessly. Facing Mumbai City FC at home was always going to be tough, and it was. We couldn’t get the ball effectively to our strikers, especially Allan de Souza Miranda and Edmilson Correia, and that hurt us,” Singto said, reflecting on the loss.
Hyderabad FC remain in 11th place on the ISL table with seven points after their sixth defeat.
When asked about Mumbai City FC’s high-tempo start, Singto admitted his team was caught off guard.
“It’s a common phenomenon–when you’re playing at home, you want to take the game to the opponent. That’s what Mumbai did. Once you win the ball, it’s about keeping it and creating more chances. Today, we managed only two or three shots on target compared to seven in our last match. That sums it up,” he explained.
He added, “When you’re trailing, there needs to be urgency, more tempo, and speed. I understand the players were tired, but we need to work on playing with greater intensity when we’re behind.”
A group of Hyderabad FC supporters, including members of the Deccan Legion fan group, travelled to the Mumbai Football Arena. Despite being outnumbered by the home fans, their chants and cheers ensured their presence was felt.
“We need fans. Thank you to the Maharashtrian Hyderabad FC fans who came. If they’re willing to travel to Hyderabad, we’d be happy to sponsor something to cheer us at home,” Singto said.
Looking ahead, Singto commented: “Tomorrow (Sunday), we travel and then focus on recovery. We might get just one day to train before the next match. It’s not ideal, but it’s the same for every team. The boys are down, but we need to lift them. FC Goa just won, so it will be tough. A draw today would’ve been a fair result, but now we focus on what’s next.”
Hyderabad FC will face FC Goa in their next ISL fixture at the GMC Balayogi Athletic Stadium on December 4. (ANI)
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