We didn't control the match at all: Mohun Bagan SG’s Manuel Perez
The Mariners squandered the opportunity to claim the top spot on the table after their defeat to Chennaiyin FC.

Mohun Bagan Super Giant assistant coach Manuel Perez was unhappy to see his side going down to Chennaiyin FC in the Indian Super League (ISL) at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata on Sunday.
The Mariners, aiming to go top of the table, started the game on the front foot. They took a well-deserved lead in the 29th minute through Joni Kauko as they went into the break with the advantage.
However, the visitors came back stronger in the second half, putting pressure on the Mariners' defence, and eventually scored the equalizer through Jordan Murray in the 72nd minute.
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Eight minutes later, Ryan Edwards put Chennaiyin FC ahead with a thumping header, but Dimitri Petratos scored a dramatic equalizer from the spot in the 94th minute. Just when everyone thought it would end in a draw, Irfan Yadwad scored a last-gasp goal to see off the Mariners in Kolkata.
Assistant coach Perez shared his insights from the game and discussed what went wrong for his side.
“It is difficult to analyse (the game). We didn’t have a good game overall. We were leading in the first half,” Perez said in the post-match press conference.
“It was a difficult and strange situation. We were attacking but didn't control the match at all. That is not interesting for us,” he said.
“Now it is not the moment to make excuses. It is the moment to watch the game again, talk to the head coach, talk to the players and analyse the game,” Perez continued further.
The Mariners had the major share of possession and also created more chances than the opposition on the night, but their usual potency in the attacking third was somewhat missing in the game.
Perez was unsure about the reasons why they were inferior in the second half, as he believed his side failed to take control of the game despite taking the lead.
“I don't know the reason. I will act in consequence about that. They (Chennaiyin FC) were playing against us with the need of the three points. And in the first half, as I said to you before, we didn't play that well. We scored a good goal. We had a few chances but we never had control of the game,” he shared.
A win in the game would have taken Mohun Bagan Super Giant to the top of the table, with one point clear of Mumbai City FC. However, the defeat means the race for the League Shield has become somewhat tougher for the Mariners as they remain second in the table with 39 points from 19 games.
The assistant coach agreed that the road has now become somewhat difficult for them, but they are still within reach of claiming their first-ever ISL League Shield.
“It (Winning the League Shield) will now be more difficult but it's in our hands. We have three games remaining. We need the nine points to become the champions,” he commented.
When questioned about the improvements he wants to see in the team for the remaining three matches, Perez stated: “We need to improve all the areas. We will analyse and we will correct things. This is something we need to solve internally with the players in the dressing room and on the pitch.”