Indian Super League, Round 13

Hyderabad FC registered their third consecutive draw in the ISL, against Jamshedpur on Sunday. Here are a few talking points from the game that ended in a goalless draw in Vasco.

Missed Chances

The first half of the game witnessed domination from Manolo Marquez’s men who created a flurry of chances in the attacking third against the Red Miners. Our first attempt came early in the ninth minute when skipper Aridane Santana passed a sublime through ball to Joel Chianese who was denied by JFC custodian, TP Rehenesh. Just over 10 minutes later, a left-footed close shot from the in-form Halicharan Narzary met with a similar fate as the keeper dived full stretch to get a touch on the ball before it struck the post and went out of play.

While the keeper managed to thwart two of our best chances, Aridane, Chianese and Narzary kept persisting at the Red Miners’ backline throughout the game. Although their intent in the Jamshedpur half was impressive, the need for better finishing was noticeable and became a crucial factor in deciding the result on Sunday.

Two clean sheets in three games

After a goalless draw against Mumbai City FC that saw us clinch our first clean sheet in nine games, a similar resilient defensive display against Jamshedpur FC brought us our second clean sheet in three games on Sunday. Allowing Jamshedpur just one shot on target throughout the game, the Hyderabad defence continued its strong performance by holding their fort effectively against Owen Coyle’s men. Through critical interceptions, cautious tackles, aerial prowess and possessional play, our defenders and keeper, Laxmikant Kattimani pitched in equally to maintain the scoreline throughout the game.

An impressive combination on the left

On several occasions, Hyderabad FC has been lauded for being known to play as a unit and the match against JFC was no different. However, there were noteworthy contributions from Akash Mishra and Narzary on the left flank as they worked in tandem to pile pressure on the opposition backline.

Alongside his defensive duties, Mishra provided a combination of pace and purpose as he ran down the pitch and sent in precise crosses for the attackers. Narzary also played an all-round game by proving to be a threat in the final third with his shots and passes, and by being a frustrating obstacle to get past in defence. This partnership adds solidity to the left and quickens the distribution of the ball around the field.

Now unbeaten in five games

Hyderabad FC began the new year with an emphatic win against Chennaiyin FC and has continued its renewed unbeaten run ever since, with a victory against NorthEast United and draws with Mumbai City, Odisha and Jamshedpur. Despite the absence of key foreign players like Joel Chianese, Joao Victor and Fran Sandaza at various points during this unbeaten stretch of games, the senior players on the field have assumed the responsibility and inspired confidence in the youngsters to express themselves during the game and brought a sense of consistency in their performances. Manolo Marquez and his men will look to keep this momentum going when they face Bengaluru FC on Thursday.