"The boys showed great character" - Syed Sabir Pasha lauds Chennaiyin FC players after draw against Odisha FC
After facing a 5-0 hammering in their last game, Chennaiyin FC fought back to a 2-2 against a resilient Odisha FC in the ISL on Wednesday. However, in terms of qualification for the knockout phases, the draw doesn't aid either of the ISL teams.
Rahim Ali scored for Chennaiyin FC in the second minute of the game. But goals from Javier Hernandez and Jonathas Cristian put the Juggernauts ahead. However, Nerijus Valskis restored parity in the second half.
Syed Sabir Pasha showed a range of emotions on the touchline, as he guided @ChennaiyinFC to a comeback draw 🔥👀
#OFCCFC #HeroISL #LetsFootball https://t.co/YrUmEIqGUi
After the game, Chennaiyin FC's new interim manager Syed Sabir lauded the fight his players showed. But he opined that Chennaiyin FC deserved to come away with the three points. He said:
"Yes, we should have won this game. The way we played, the way we kept the ball. We had some bad patches in the match, like after the 20 minutes of the first half, we had a little bit of a problem, we went back to the past and were losing balls, not showing confidence. But the boys showed great character, they came back very strongly after conceding two goals."
The 49-year-old further added:
"It's very difficult, especially after we conceded five goals in the last match, and then you concede two goals here. And to come back from that, it shows the great character of the boys. Hats off to them and they have to keep this going in the coming matches."
With the draw, the Marina Machans are eighth in the league standings with 20 points from 17 games, realistically out of the top-four race.
Check out the updated ISL top scorer here.
"If it's life then there's hope" - Kino Garcia on Odisha FC's hopes of making it into the top four after Chennaiyin FC draw
Mutual Respect! 🤝
#OFCCFC #HeroISL #LetsFootball https://t.co/Yirgb8Lbk4
Similarly, Odisha FC too are all but out of top-four contention after the draw. The Juggarnauts remain seventh in the ISL points table with 22 points from 17 games. However, head coach Kino Garcia opined that, including tonight, they deserved to come away with three points in plenty more matches.
About his side's hopes for making it into the Top 4, Garcia said:
"Since there are points, we say in Spain, if it's life then there's hope. So we still are alive. We will keep fighting for that, of course we knew is difficult. But also, we are only two points behind the best season of Odisha FC, one record that we can we can pass and just improve the players."