"We invited the opponent to score" - Chennaiyin FC coach Thomas Brdaric disappointed with "simply foolish mistakes" after crushing 6-2 defeat against Mumbai City FC

Chennaiyin FC boss Thomas Brdaric has expressed his displeasure with his team's mistakes in their 6-2 hammering at the hands of Mumbai City FC.

The Marina Machans welcomed the Islanders to the 'Marina Arena' for their fifth fixture of the ISL 2022-23 season on Saturday (November 12). The hosts went 2-0 up in the 32nd minute, but switched off as Jorge Pereyra Diaz scored just seconds later.

They then conceded a penalty, which was converted by Greg Stewart in the dying embers of the first half.

Chennaiyin were slow off the blocks after the break and Mumbai City punished them by scoring thrice before the 65th minute. Bipin Singh then pounced on another error to add a sixth goal in stoppage time.

Speaking after the game, Brdaric stated that his team simply made too many errors against a top side. He said:

"This was really a tough game because, if you're 2-0 up, [you cannot] give up this kind of simply foolish mistakes like we did, a lack of concentration [and] technical mistakes. We invited the opponent to score."

The German tactician added this about the penalty conceded by the Marina Machans just moments before half-time:

"We have to understand that against very strong teams, they will exploit all these things. We can't give them these kinds of opportunities."

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"Not everything was bad today" - Chennaiyin FC coach Thomas Brdaric after loss against Mumbai City FC

While he lamented their mistakes, Thomas Brdaric also believes his team had positives to take from the game.

Petar Sliskovic scored his first-ever ISL goal, while Nasser ElKhayati, who also netted, impressed in his first start for Chennaiyin FC. This game also marked the first time the Marina Machans scored twice in a league game this season.

Their substitutes also took the game to Mumbai City FC in the second half, though hopes of a comeback were swiftly crushed by the Islanders.

Asked what his main positive takeaways from the game were, Brdaric responded:

"We were in the game. It's not like we weren't in the game from the first minute. We have to analyze how it happened and work hard. Not everything was bad today.

"Of course, it was sobering after the third and fourth goal. It's very hard to bounce back against these kinds of teams. But we should take the positive things. We scored two goals and we have to show that [again] in the next match."

Lastly, the Chennaiyin coach was also asked about what they needed to do to bounce back from the 6-2 thrashing. He once again stressed the need to avoid "foolish mistakes" and said:

"We have to be strong in our mind for 90 minutes, reduce simply foolish mistakes and keep going with the same effort. Was it [entirely] bad? No. We invested so much today to go 2-0 up and to hold that is our next challenge."

Next up, Chennaiyin FC will take on Jamshedpur FC at the Marina Arena on November 19.