3 positive takeaways for Hyderabad FC from their ISL opener against East Bengal
Hyderabad FC succumbed to a close 2-1 defeat to East Bengal at the Salt Lake Stadium in their ISL opener on Saturday, September 30. The Nawabs played brilliant football and the match seemed destined for a 1-1 draw but Cleiton Silva's free-kick in the dying stages of the game changed the equation.
Aaren D'Silva could have equalized for the Yellow and Blacks moments after Silva's free-kick, but the Goan shot straight at East Bengal goalkeeper Prabhsukhan Singh Gill.
The Nawabs will now travel to Jamshedpur to take on the Red Miners at the JRD Tata Sports Complex on October 5, Thursday. They will hope to register their first win of the season against a side that has drawn once and lost once this term.
Here are three positives Hyderabad can take from their East Bengal defeat.
#1 Petteri Pennanen's impressive work rate
New signing Petteri Pennanen's impressive work rate was one of the positives for Hyderabad FC in the game.
The central midfielder from Finland, who was making his debut, seemed to be everywhere on the field. He started the game as the attacking midfielder but moved to his favored holding midfield position after Aaren D'Silva came on.
As club captain Joao Victor struggled in the centre-back position, Pennanen also slotted in as the third central defender when Hyderabad were without possession.
This was, of course, until new signing Oswaldo Alanis was brought on. Pennanen's display of hard graft was one of the brightest spots for the Nawabs.
#2. Joe Knowles' ability to unlock opposition defences
Australian attacker Joe Knowles, who was signed this season by Hyderabad FC to fulfill their AFC quota as well as replace fellow Aussie Joel Chianese, was also impressive on Saturday.
It was his through ball that helped Hitesh Sharma score Hyderabad's first goal of the season. Knowles seemed to be a tad off the pace in the first half. His work rate seemed questionable when going back to retrieve balls out of possession, but he more than made up for it in the second.
A bullet that he struck midway through the second half was parried away safely by Gill but it was his ability to unlock East Bengal's defence that mattered the most. The creativity that Knowles displayed will come in handy for the Nawabs going ahead in the season.
#3. Shifting formation while in possession and pressing well
A football club's playing style generally changes when new management takes over, and that was the case for Hyderabad against East Bengal.
Nawabs played aggressive football with a touch of dominance in possession. One of the key pointers was how they changed their formation when in possession and when they lost the ball.
Although wingers Mohammad Yasir and Joe Knowles did not quite swap their positions, Hyderabad's shape remained fluid.