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Hyderabad FC scripted a late comeback to register a 2-2 draw with Bengaluru FC in their 2020-21 Indian Super League (ISL) encounter on Thursday. Aridane Santana (86') and Fran Sandaza (90+1') were the goalscorers for the Nizams at the Tilak Maidan Stadium in Vasco.
Bengaluru FC took the lead through Sunil Chhetri in the ninth minute before Leon Augustine doubled the Blues' advantage on the hour mark. However, Hyderabad FC's substitutes changed the complexion of the game.
Rohit Danu registered an assist within a minute of coming on, with Aridane drilling his low cross into the back of the net. The other two substitutes, Roland Alberg and Fran Sandaza, combined well to score Hyderabad FC's equalizer in injury-time.
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Speaking to the media after the match, Hyderabad FC coach Manolo Marquez said:
"At half-time, I told if we continue playing the same way, we have a lot of possibilities to win the game. They scored from one of their strong points, that is set-pieces. But after 15 minutes, the control of the game was with Hyderabad FC. The change of the style was at the end of the game. We played with three defenders in 3-5-2 (formation) with Aridane (Santana) and Fran (Sandaza) in the middle, Hali(charan Narzary) in left and (Rohit) Danu in right. We had players like (Mohammed) Yasir and Roland (Alberg) behind strikers. I think that sometimes you can equalize like today and sometimes, in counter-attack, they can finish the game."
Hyderabad FC's Hitesh Sharma gifted the ball cheaply to Leon Augustine on the hour mark, with the latter making the Nizams pay by scoring from outside of the penalty box. Apart from that one incident, Manolo Marquez's team controlled the tempo of the game in the second half.
"I am very proud of my players all the season. Today, it wasn't a coincident that we equalized the game late. But, I think that we didn't deserve to lose this game. The second goal of Bengaluru FC was a gift from our team. And, I think at the end of the game we had a lot of offensive players in the pitch," Manolo Marquez further added.
Players from the bench are very important when we are losing: Hyderabad FC coach Manolo Marquez
Hyderabad FC currently find themselves fourth on the ISL table with 19 points from 14 matches. A win against Bengaluru FC would have enabled them to leapfrog FC Goa into the third spot. But Manolo Marquez was pleased with the result and lauded the substitutes.
"Sometimes this is a typical question people ask. You won one or lost two (points)? I think the score is 2-2 and it's one point more. We have only six games to finish competition. We are very proud of young Indian guys and foreigners too. I am very happy because people from bench like Rohit Danu, Fran Sandaza, Sahil Tavora. or Roland (Alberg) are very important when we are losing," said Manolo Marquez.
Hyderabad FC tend to play out from the back, and it has worked well for the team so far. However, the Nizams are prone to conceding goals from transitions. Shedding light on his team's tactics, Manolo Marquez said:
"In other day, there was a statistic that we are a team that concede a lot of goals from transitions. When (Laxmikant) Kattimani has the ball and he passes it to Odei (Onaindia) or Chinglensana (Singh), we have a risk. But, if we play only long balls, we don't have those kind of players. We have only Aridane and maybe Fran now. But, if we play long balls to Liston (Colaco), Hali, and Hitesh (Sharma), I think that it won't work."
After a three-game goalless run, Aridane Santana found his scoring boots against Bengaluru FC. Hyderabad FC's highest-paid foreign player Fran Sandaza also got his name on the scoresheet after recovering from injuries.
"If we can come with both players, we have possibilities (to finish in top four). There are very strong teams in this league. I can't say for sure if Fran and Aridane stay in good feet, we will be in top four. I think that Fran is a great player. He has played in Spain, Glasgow, Japan, and China. He has played in lot of countries. But, he has problems with injuries. He will be a very important player for us," Manolo Marquez concluded.
Hyderabad FC will next face Chennaiyin FC at the same venue on Sunday. The Nizams beat the Marina Machans 4-1 in corresponding fixture.
