"FC Goa are under more pressure as they have to win at all costs" - Hyderabad FC coach Thangboi Singto ahead of trip to Fatorda | ISL 2023-24

Hyderabad FC head coach Thangboi Singto, among the cheeriest plying their trade in the Indian Super League (ISL), is prepared for the challenges his side is going to face against FC Goa on Friday.

The Nawabs travel to take on the Gaurs at the Fatorda Stadium in Goa and will be keen on erasing their recent 0-3 loss to Mumbai City at home from their collective memories.

Speaking to the media ahead of the game, Singto feels that the hosts - who are still mathematically in with a chance of winning the ISL Shield - will be under more pressure to win the fixture.

"I think Goa are under more pressure as they have to win at all costs. We will not sit back and defend. We will play our natural game. We have had some good games in the recent past, be it against NorthEast United and then winning in Chennai.

"We are in good rhythm and will have to continue working hard. I won't say that the break broke our team's cohesion but the continuity would have helped us prepare better. Playing well is fine, but conceding three goals against Mumbai City was not good at all," said Singto.

Thangboi Singto could not stop himself from speaking about the aforementioned loss to Mumbai City, which was extremely disappointing for the Yellow and Black and must have pained him terribly.

"There wasn't even time to breath," Singto continued. "Some players worked on their recovery while some trained today. Now, things in the ISL are such that you don't get many breaks. Speaking about the game (against Mumbai City), we missed out on small details."

"Yes, Mumbai City have a very good side who have a lot of top players - national team players, nonetheless. We saw some videos where we made the boys understand that we could have made a few better decisions while defending all three goals," he added.

---

"I have spent more than twenty years in football but the last seven-eight months have helped me grow calmer" - Thangboi Singto

Lallianzuala Chhangte opened the scoring for the Islanders on Monday at the Maidaan in Gachibowli. It was then doubled by Mehtab Singh. Jorge Pereyra Diaz converted a penalty late on in the game to seal the deal for his team.

Despite creating several chances, Hyderabad were comfortably second best on the night and could not stand up to the challenges set to them by the visitors. Singto, however, is confident that they will not repeat the same against Goa.

"Yes, Mumbai created chances but somehow it seemed to me that we gave the game away. No time for a breather, and now we go and play another strong team which is FC Goa. We lost the home leg 0-2, yes, but now the message to everyone is that we have to finish the season in the best way possible. That's the target. When we go to Goa, we will fight very hard against them," said Singto.

The Fatorda Stadium is one of the happiest hunting grounds for the Nawabs, with them arriving here on the back of two consecutive wins at the venue.

They beat Goa last season by a 1-3 scoreline last season thanks to a hat-trick from former striker Bart Ogbeche. Meanwhile, the game before that was the historic final of the 2021-22 ISL in which Hyderabad beat Kerala Blasters via penalties.

They have also been unbeaten in the last four games that they have played at this venue. Thangboi Singto stressed the fact that his wards will concentrate hard on this game and not let their focus wander.

When asked about how he rates the work he has put in for the club so far, the master tactician responded by saying that he loves the club dearly and has given his heart and soul to its cause.

"I like my job. It's not easy going home to a family who also expect you to do well. They read your face and your mind. My personal attachment to the club, the players, the staff and the owners has pushed me hard to grow as a person. I have spent more than twenty years in football but the last seven-eight months have helped me grow calmer. I could have not done this alone; the people around us really helped us a lot. We will keep going," he signed off.