Chennaiyin FC suffered a 2-0 defeat to East Bengal FC at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium in Chennai in their latest Indian Super League (ISL) clash on Saturday.

PV Vishnu and Jeakson Singh scored second-half goals to secure the victory for East Bengal FC, marking their second consecutive win of the season. For Chennaiyin FC, this defeat was their third in a row.

Match Report: Chennaiyin FC 0-2 East Bengal FC

Chennaiyin FC dominated possession for much of the first half but conceded two goals after the break. They struggled to recover, failing to break through the opposition's half as effectively as they did earlier.

In the post-match press conference, Coyle voiced his disappointment with the team's failure to make the most of their opportunities.

“We started very well in the first half. We had some wonderful chances to get in front, and it was important to take the lead. Had we gone in front, they would have had to have been more adventurous. To be fair to them, they paid us a lot of respect coming in, bringing everybody behind the ball,” Coyle said.

“But the goals we gave away! We gave such a soft goal away, it's easily avoidable, and a good run from (Saul) Crespo, but the run should’ve been matched. And we've had to settle 1-0 down. Made some changes and, to be honest, it was my reaction, I went for a better reaction at 1-0. We got the ball, and brought the subs in, I think they'd say it gives the pass away that leads to Jeakson (Singh) hitting a wonder strike, but it wasn't good enough from the point of 1-0. Prior to that, we were very comfortable, we were very good in the game, and looked as if we could be set to go on and win the game,” he further added.

Defeat at the Marina Arena#AllInForChennaiyin #CFCEBFC #ISL pic.twitter.com/Rugvh2Y41a

— Chennaiyin F.C. (@ChennaiyinFC) December 7, 2024

Despite not giving the visitors many chances, the Marina Machans failed to capitalize. To add to that, they have now failed to score in their last three games.

Addressing the disappointment among fans after losing at home, he remarked “That's the harsh reality of life at the top level in the ISL. If you don't take your chances, you're going to be punished heavily everywhere. My sense of disappointment is for the fans. They come, they're colourful, they unite the team, and they support them to the final whistle. We’ve left them now feeling not particularly great, having lost a game at home. We're desperate to get back at home, having played all their away games. And it's an opportunity we've let pass us by. We can't afford to keep letting opportunities pass us by. It gives us a mountain to climb, as we did last year…for sure, we have to step up to the plate. They know that. But ultimately, that responsibility lies with me”.

With twelve points, the Marina Machans remain in ninth position in the league. Looking ahead, Coyle urged the team to re-group, “Obviously, players come in, you want them to do well, but players only get on the field based on merit. It's not about an individual thing, it's about a collective. So, of course, we'll try to do our game, that's what we'll do. We'll look to freshen up as best we can and get a team that can win and start to move forward again.”

Coyle took full responsibility for the team's struggles, emphasizing the importance of resilience and a strong mentality, traits that are characteristic of Chennaiyin FC.

"We started the last season with three losses, bounced back from it, and that's what we'll do again. It's not particularly nice and you're right because what it does, each game you lose adds a little bit more to it, and that's the nature of football,” he said.

The Marina Machans will aim to re-discover their form in their next ISL fixture as they prepare to face Hyderabad FC, determined to bounce back and climb the league standings.