Jamshedpur FC failed to hold on to their lead as Chennaiyin FC equalised a minute from time to draw 1-1 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Chennai on Sunday in the Hero Indian Super League (ISL) 2017-18. The visitors took the lead in the 32nd minute through Wellington Priori’s wonder-goal before Mohammed Rafi pulled one back for the hosts in the 89th-minute, to ensure the points were shared equally amongst the teams.

Jamshedpur’s head coach Steve Coppell was present at the post-match press conference to address the media and shared his thoughts on the outcome of the match, where three points were snatched from them in the dying minutes by Rafi’s header. “It is a valuable point as far as I am concerned,” he began. “I think the point helps Chennaiyin more than it helps us, but it’s still a good point for us. It is a difficult place to come to. Chennaiyin are a proud team and they weren’t just going to lay down and die. They have got some terrific individual players. We sustained a lot of pressure in the second half. We weren’t keeping the ball for long enough, we were just defending so hard. Credit to them and praise for my players. Once again they showed their resilience and stayed in there, and it’s just unfortunate. The marking of the set-pieces got a little ragged due to players coming in and going off. It’s hard to get messages across to people to whom to mark. I obviously know Rafi from last year in Kerala. I know he is very good in the air.”

He further continued, “We faced Chennaiyin tonight, and on the reflection, it can be said that a draw was a fair result, but three points would have been really good. We would have been broken-hearted if we had picked up no points tonight. We are putting the pressure on and doing what we can do under our circumstances to finish as high up the table as we can. Let’s see where we end up.”

This was the second game in a row that Wellington Priori scored a screamer for his team and on speaking about the difference the new signing has brought to the team, the Englishman replied, “I would love if he continues, that’s all I can say. Yes, he has been a significant difference for us since he has come on board. Right from day one we needed international players, we needed that substance that international players have. He can play in a variety of positions and his goal-scoring is a real bonus for us. It’s three (goals) that he has got until now and he’s a real threat going forward. As I said, I hope he continues.”

The league debutants are up against the other debutants and table-toppers Bengaluru FC next, which is sure to be a heady encounter taking into account the current form both the teams are in. When asked about the same, the 62-year old stated, “Yes, we have done really well in recent games to put ourselves in this position. And obviously, to take advantage of that, we have to sustain it till the end of the season. Bengaluru are the best side in the league. They are at the top of the table and they qualified before anyone else did. But yes, I have to agree that they are still playing hard. I expect a really difficult game against them. I am looking forward to it because if you have to do good in the playoffs, you have to perform against the better teams.”