Hyderabad FC interim head coach Shameel Chembakath expressed his disappointment following his side's 5-2 defeat to NorthEast United FC in the Indian Super League (ISL).

While Hyderabad FC showed promise in the early stages of the game, taking a 2-0 lead, the Highlanders quickly bounced back, reducing the deficit to one goal in the first half and further displaying a strong performance in the second half to complete the comeback. Chembakath emphasized the need for better game management and defensive stability moving forward.

The hosts started strong, with Edmilson Correia finding the net twice in the opening twelve minutes. However, Guillermo Fernández’s brace, an own goal by Lenny Rodrigues, and strikes from Alaaddin Ajaraie and Alex Saji secured a convincing victory for NorthEast United FC. Hyderabad FC struggled to maintain their momentum and were frequently undone by set pieces and defensive lapses.

Speaking about the first half, he said: "Well, the first 10 minutes and if you go through the first 45 minutes, the first half was very positive. And leading 2-1 was one of the best things. The players played how we wanted to play, what we expected. There are some things which they need to understand when we're leading. There are some scenarios where we need to concentrate and mature our game management. That is more important. And of course, that consists in the level of the back”

“When you are not scoring, when you are leading, how we need to be stable, how we need to be balanced on the defence, that is more important. I think most of the goals, if you see, there are a lot of rebounds, reflections and set-pieces,” he added.

The coach highlighted NorthEast United FC forward Alaeddine Ajaraie's crucial role in exploiting Hyderabad FC’s defensive vulnerabilities.

“We got more pressure from Ajaraie. If you see, we were keeping the ball well. But most of the final passes, final moments, and some of the players were just giving away. That is one of the parts which we wanted to improve. They just targeted Ajaraie more on the balls. Whenever they are winning the ball, the transition always goes to the number 14, Ajaraie. I think that is the way they succeed," said Chembakath.

Stressing the need for consistency throughout the game, Chembakath emphasized the importance of maintaining focus and stability.

“Everyone used to say that consistency is more important. We have to think about how we wanted to win the match, how we wanted to balance the match… I think there were a lot of mistakes that happened, but it does not mean that we did not play well.”

Hyderabad FC’s tactical adjustments also came under scrutiny, with Chembakath praising his bench strength while acknowledging areas of concern.

"I was confident in my substitutions, but consistency is something we need to work on," he remarked.

Looking ahead, Hyderabad FC will need to regroup quickly as they face their next challenge in four days. They will face East Bengal FC on 28th December. Chembakath remains optimistic about the match, saying, "We need to step onto the training pitch, focus on improvement, and bounce back in the next match."

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