Two-time Hero Indian Super League (Hero ISL) champions, Chenaniyin FC will be looking to surge up the standings when they travel to face Hyderabad FC at the G.M.C. Balayogi Athletic Stadium on Friday. The Marina Machans have been much better since the appointment of Owen Coyle and have showcased tremendous attacking football by scoring plenty of goals.

While speaking at his pre-match press conference, the Chennaiyin head coach revealed that he was now looking to improve the club’s disappointing away record. “We have to make sure we are at our best (against Hyderabad). It’s been more than a year since the club has won a game away from home. So, we have to start picking up points (on the road). We had a very good draw against Jamshedpur, where we should have won the game. Second half in the other night at Odisha, we did very well. So, we have to be together. We have good players. We have some terrific Indian players. I have been really impressed and have enjoyed working with the Indian players. I think they are getting better.”

Looking ahead to the Hyderabad tie, Coyle said, “I think it’s a very important game for both teams. When I look at Hyderabad, I think they’ve been very unlucky. In a lot of games, they’ve played superb football, been in good positions to win matches and have had a lot of bad luck. We certainly know that they are a far better team than their league position shows. So, I think we will have two very attack-minded teams coming to win the game.”

The 53-year-old also felt that Chennaiyin’s win over Hyderabad in the reverse fixture earlier in the season wouldn’t mean too much going into Friday’s encounter. “It’s always nice when you’ve already beaten your opponents. With that being said, it was a dramatic match. There were three goals in added time. Hyderabad, I think, do very well at home. It will a tough game. They have good players in the team. They have goal scorers. They have creative players, but we have to be ready for that. We are also a team that can win games, that can entertain and can excite. What we have to do better is to make sure that from a defensive point of view, we are more solid and don’t give up easy goals.”

Lastly, Coyle demanded more consistency from his players in their upcoming games, “The challenge for us is to get continuity and consistency. We still have an outstanding game to play against NorthEast (United FC). That is an opportunity to close the gap (on the top four). What we have to do is to get a run of form. Two or three wins and we’re right back in the top four race. So, we have to find the consistent form. It’s really a challenge because we are catching up with points.”

Meanwhile, midfielder Anirudh Thapa, who was also in attendance at the media briefing commented, “We are playing really good football. We think we can put on a show against Hyderabad. They are a good team. They will give us a good fight. If we keep on performing well, we will reach our goal.”

Read the Match Preview here.