FC Goa were dangerous, as we were: Chennaiyin FC’s Owen Coyle after draw

Chennaiyin FC head coach Owen Coyle feels FC Goa was dangerous as they were after a 2-2 draw at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Chennai in the Indian Super League on Thursday. Wilmar Jordan was able to give a 1-0 lead to the home team after he scored in the 11th minute.

But, the Gaurs bounced back as Udanta Singh equalised before the half-time whistle. Armando Sadiku put the visitors in a 2-1 lead as he scored from a spot kick in the 51st minute.

However, the hosts got the equalizer when Daniel Chima Chukwu found the back of the net in the 79th minute. Both teams took five shots on target but FC Goa dominated the possession with 57.7%.

“We have to accept that FC Goa were dangerous, as were we. Every time we went forward, we looked as though we could score, and I felt FC Goa had the real cutting edge,” Coyle said in the post-match press conference.

“I knew we would have that problem because obviously Ankit (Mukherjee) is injured, (PC) Laldinpuia is suspended, and as much as Ryan (Edwards) didn’t put up a play, they were in different slots, so really we changed our whole back four, and FC Goa got very good players (with) (Dejan) Drazic, (Armando) Sadiku, and Boris (Singh), who I know well,” he explained, sharing his assessment on their performance.

Coyle made a couple of changes in the second half and brought on Chukwu, who scored the equalizer for Marina Machans.

“I made the changes. I felt we needed a bit of spark, a bit of freshness. That was my observation, and that’s what we did.”

“The boys who came in were excellent. Elsinho, Vincy (Barretto), Gurkirat (Singh), Jitendra (Singh) came in, and Daniel (Chima Chukwu) also. So, I thought the subs made a real impact. He got the equaliser, and from then on, there was only one team going to win that game,” he continued.

Coyle said his team doesn’t know how to throw in the towel as they keep fighting till the end.

“At that point, at 2-2, I felt we were the team that could go on and win the game. And that’s the spirit we’ve got. We’re never, ever, even when we go behind; we’re never, ever beaten. This group doesn’t know that,” Coyle remarked.