ISL 2022-23: We didn’t play a good game – Hyderabad FC head coach Manolo Marquez

Hyderabad FC head coach Manolo Marquez feels they didn’t play a good game against FC Goa at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Goa despite winning by 3-1 on Thursday. The Nizam’s talisman Bartholomew Ogbeche opened the scoring for the visitors in the 21st minute.

However, the Gaurs were able to equalize as Redeem Tlang scored in the 54th minute. Subsequently, the Nigerian scored in the 79th minute to give a 2-1 lead to his team and then put the game to bed in the 90th minute with another strike, thus completing his hat-trick.

But, despite the win, Hyderabad FC only had 41% of possession and took a total of five shots on target. Marquez feels FC Goa was far better than them and they were lucky to win.

​​“I’m not very happy with the performance. We are in game number 13 and we are closer to the League Shield. During 20 games, you play good games, and normal games, bad games and very bad ones. If you get to win one game like today, where FC Goa were 1000 times better than us and we finished the first half winning 1-0, then football is a lie. When they equalised the game, we started to play. It’s true that when we scored the second goal, we more or less managed the game. But at least, we could see Hyderabad FC on the pitch after they equalised. For 55 or 60 minutes, we didn’t exist,” he said at the post-match press conference.

The Spaniard feels they were lucky to grab three crucial points but admitted they won’t win many games if they continue to play like this.

“To win is always crucial, if you play good or bad. And the question is you prefer to play good, bad or the three points, I would prefer three points. But the way to get the three points is to play in a good way. Because if we play like this, we won’t have too many chances to win games. It’s fantastic (the three points),” he said.

Hyderabad FC has now won their last five matches as they have been in prolific form. However, Marquez doesn’t want to be complacent in his approach.

“It’s five straight wins and it’s impossible (to get this kind of result). After the previous game, I told my players that they deserve a monument in Hyderabad. But we deserve self-criticism if we don’t play a good game. And we didn’t play a good game. It’s important – the good organization of the team, (staying) defensively compact, but with the ball, (we did) practically nothing except the last 25-30 minutes. After they equalized the game, it was an equal game,” he added.

Hyderabad FC will next take on Chennaiyin FC on 12th January at the G.M.C. Balayogi Athletic Stadium, Hyderabad.