Owen Coyle head coach of Chennaiyin FC voiced his frustration as they suffered a heavy 3-0 defeat to NorthEast United FC in the Indian Super League (ISL) at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on Monday.

The match was dominated by NorthEast United FC, who quickly established their lead with a goal from Nestor Albiach in the seventh minute. They extended their advantage in the first half with two additional goals from Jithin MS and Alaaeddine Ajaraie, effectively securing all three points early in the game.

Match Report: Chennaiyin FC 0-3 NorthEast United FC

Coach Coyle expressed his frustration over the "soft goals" conceded, emphasizing that the team struggled with defensive transitions.

“The softness of the goals. That’s nothing that surprises me in the game, with respect to what the players have been showing, what to expect from the opposition, what Ajaraie can do, and what Nestor can do. And that's the frustration, to give up such soft goals,” Coyle said at the post-match press conference.

He noted the team's inability to capitalize on scoring opportunities, despite creating several promising chances, stating that the missed chances had led to a challenging situation by halftime.

“At the other end, the chances we create are incredible; not just half-chances. I mean, as somebody who's played as a striker, those are the chances you want in every game. And I don't expect that you will score every one of those, but you should be taking a far higher percentage than we took, with two or three wonderful chances in the first half.”

“And ultimately, goals change games. So, the softness left us with a mountain to climb at half-time,” he stated.

Although he acknowledged an improved performance from his players in the second half, he felt it was too late to change the game's outcome, particularly after they were reduced to ten men.

“Even though at half-time, we made several changes, obviously, by that time, people felt the horse had bolted. But we were very good in the second half with respect to control of the game. I think we had one opportunity. But after that, I think we were down to 10 men.”

"It's disappointing. It's frustrating for everybody, for the fans in particular, because those are the ones that my thoughts are with. After all, that's who we do this for," he added.

Coyle concluded by addressing the need for significant improvements, particularly in defence, which has been a persistent issue this season.

"There are a lot of things we need to do better. But, first and foremost, we need to be better defensively, and we haven't been this season. And that's the truth of the matter," Coyle said as he concluded.

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