ISL 2020-21 | Change in the formation towards the end worked for us, asserts Manolo Marquez

Hyderabad FC has been one of the more consistent teams in the Indian Super League this season, but they were on the back-foot against a struggling Bengaluru FC side last evening. The ‘Nizams’ were trailing by 0-2 with almost 30 minutes left on the clock, but they managed to score a couple of goals towards the dying minutes of the game to squeeze out a point from the fixture. As per their head coach Manolo Marquez, the change in the formation towards the ending stages of the game did the trick for them.

“At half-time, I told if we continue playing the same way, we have a lot of possibilities to win the game. They scored from one of their strong points, that is set-pieces. But after 15 minutes, the control of the game was with Hyderabad FC. The change of the style was at the end of the game,” said Manolo Marquez, after Thursday’s game.

“We played with three defenders in 3-5-2 (formation) with Aridane (Santana) and Fran (Sandaza) in the middle, Hali(charan Narzary) in left and (Rohit) Danu in right. We had players like (Mohammed) Yasir and Roland (Alberg) behind strikers. I think that sometimes you can equalize like today and sometimes, in counter-attack, they can finish the game,” added the manager.

With six matches left in the group stage, Hyderabad FC have a bright chance to make it to the playoffs this season. They are set to lock-horns with Chennaiyin FC this Sunday evening at the Tilak Maidan.