Win against Kerala gives us a lot of confidence: HFC coach

Given the tight race for the top 4 place, the match against Kerala was crucial and Hyderabad showed up in style, hitting four past the opponents to brighten their chances

Hyderabad: Hyderabad Football Club have been on a string of draws in their final six matches before taking on Kerala Blasters. Given the tight race for the top 4 place, the match against Kerala was crucial and Hyderabad showed up in style, hitting four past the opponents to brighten their chances.

Speaking on the eve of their another crucial match against table toppers ATK Mohun Bagan, Hyderabad FC coach Manolo Marquez said that a win like 4-0 against Kerala would boost their confidence ahead of the crunch match. “It (win against Kerala) was very important because we are in the fight for the final four. And it was not our best performance as we didn’t play well in the first half. But in the second half, we finished the game after the first goal. Mentally we were better than Kerala. A win always gives confidence to the players. If you win 4-0 you will have more confidence but we know every game is different and we know ATK are a strong team. We are in a good stage at the moment,” he said.

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Speaking about how quickly the questions changed with favourites Mumbai City FC falling from the top position, the 52-year-old Spaniard said, “I was wrong about the championship. I said Mumbai will win the championship but of course, they suffered back-to-back losses and ATK found the best moment in the league. They are very strong and they are in good form and the team is well balanced. They are the most dangerous team. All teams have only two games left and five teams have the possibility to reach top 4. So there is no chance for let up,” he revealed.

Hyderabad are now on a 10-game unbeaten streak and said the team is very high on morale. Speaking about the challenges the ATK can pose, he said, “They played a hard game two days ago. I am not sure whether they will change players but they have good players in the side. ATK for sure is the strong team and the challenge is fantastic for our players. I think all of us are excited about the match.”

He also revealed that Ashish Roy, who suffered a knee stress in the previous match, will be out of the remainder of the season. “The season is done for him but I was scared when I saw him. But he is very strong and for sure. Maybe in one month he will be ready to play. He doesn’t deserve to miss out these next games. His season was incredible.”

He also said ATK’s Roy Krishna, who leads the scoring charts with 14 goals, is the most dangerous player. “Roy Krishna is the best forward in the league. He is a clever player and for me, he is a complete centre forward,” concluded Marquez.

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