ISL 2023-24: I’m not happy with the result – NorthEast United FC’s Juan Pedro Benali

NorthEast United FC’s head coach Juan Pedro Benali admitted he is not happy with the result after their 1-1 draw against Hyderabad at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium in Guwahati in the Indian Super League (ISL) on Sunday.

The home team took a total of six shots on target but they could not make the most of their chances. The hosts also had 11 shots off target but could not take three points.

Romain Philippoteaux’s strike took a deflection of Nim Dorjee Tamang in the eighth minute to put the Highlanders in front. However, Pennanen equalized for the Nizams at the stroke of half-time.

“I’m not happy with the result,” Benali stated in the post-match press conference.

“Especially when you see the game, we got numerous chances—maybe seven, eight, or ten. But the problem is that in football when you don’t kill, you get killed. This is how it is. They played their game. They played smart. Well, we should have scored (more). If we score two, three, or four in the first half, nobody will be surprised. In the second half, we didn’t start very well. Suddenly, with the changes, the team changed again, and we had more chances to score, but we didn’t do it. Maybe we keep it for the next game,” he added.

The Spaniard feels his team played better football in the second half but could not make the most of their chances to claim all three points.

“This is how it’s in football. Football is not only one single game; it has many, many small games during the game. In the second half, the first ten minutes, we were not very well. But after 10–15 minutes, when we made the changes, the team changed a lot, and we started playing (well again),” he stated.

“There was too much space in the middle, and we couldn’t find those players easily. The moment we started founding Romain Philippoteaux inside, Macarton Louis Nickson after Nestor Albiach or Ibson Melo inside with Jithin M. S. and Huidrom Thoi Singh on the sides, we created much more chances. In the second half, for the first ten minutes, we were impatient. We wanted to arrive very quickly, and we wanted to score because we had too many chances. Psychologically, we want to go, and we need to have that patience a little bit,” he added.

“But we need experience, and games give you that experience. What we needed was to calm down, try to play, and wait for the situation (to come). And in the last 25–30 minutes, we created many chances again. We dominated the game, but we still need that click. It will come. I’m positive it will come,” Benali continued.

The gaffer revealed that players are working hard in the training sessions and they are trying to improve.

“Players are working hard. They’re building themselves. Today we have three young players starting in the ISL, in the form of Buanthanglun Samte, Huidrom Thoi Singh, and Macarton Louis Nickson (who also played against East Bengal FC). We try to give more chances to the young ones,” he added.

“We’re building the team slowly, slowly. We need to give them the chance. Well, one more point. We are in two digits (10 points) already. And thinking about the next game,” he concluded.

NorthEast United FC will next play against defending champions Mohun Bagan Super Giant on 15th December at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium in Guwahati.