East Bengal FC’s head coach Carles Cuadrat said they are celebrating but they have to be cautious after their 2-1 win against Hyderabad FC at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan, in Kolkata, on Saturday. The visitors took the lead early in the eighth minute with Hitesh Sharma finding the back of the net.
However, East Bengal FC was quick to respond as Cleiton Silva equalized for the home team. It looked like both teams would share the spoils before Silva scored his second of the night in injury time to help the hosts bag all three crucial points.
Both the teams took three shots on target and almost had similar possession (50%).
“It was a game with not a lot of chances. Our team created more chances the other day. But this is football. Hyderabad FC is used to being competitive with very narrow margins. Last season, in a lot of games they finished 1-0. The players knew that they had to manage that kind of result. Now, with the new rules that are happening, lot of games are around 100 minutes. So we were focused that anything could happen. It’s true that a set-piece can change anything and it was a moment of brilliance with Cleiton scoring that wonderful goal. We are celebrating these three points but we have to be conscious that narrow margins are always here in the ISL,” Cuadrat said in the post-match press conference.
In fact, Cleiton Silva continued to impress in the ISL. The Brazilian footballer started off the bench in a goalless draw against Jamshedpur FC but he was added to the starting XI against the Nizams. Silva was able to prove his mettle and Cuadrat heaped praise on the 36-year-old forward.
“I brought Cleiton to India. I was the coach that signed him (at Bengaluru FC). He is an incredible, talented player. After Bengaluru FC, he decided to sign with East Bengal FC and I am with him again. We all know what he was doing for the team last season and we expect him to produce the same this season. For the first game that he was in the starting eleven, we all can be satisfied. The team is (performing) in the right way and the captain has shown to our players what it is to be competitive,” Cuadrat further said.
East Bengal FC will next take on Bengaluru FC at the Kanteerava Stadium on 4th October.
