FC Pune City drew again at home as the match against Chennaiyin FC ended 1-1 with the hosts scoring in the final quarter of the game to salvage a point. Antonio Habas returned to the touchline and was animated during the game as an Anibal Rodriguez free kick from 25 yards helped Pune to earn a point against the Champions and the side climbed to the sixth spot in the table. Habas was in a jovial mood in his press conference after the match as he talked on a range if issues.
Pune had the majority of chances and possession as they looked likely to score yet another goal as the Super Machans' strategy was to sit back and attack on the counter. Materazzi's tactics had paid off as Jeje Lalpekhlua opened the scoring for the champions with a sublime 25-yard chip to embarrass Pune's keeper Edel Bete. Habas said, "I am not at all happy with the result but pleased with the performance of my boys."
Also read: ISL 2016: FC Pune City 1-1 Chennaiyin FC - 5 talking points
He continued, "Chennaiyin are a big team as they are the reigning champions whereas Pune City have not even qualified for the knockout stages yet. Still, we were miles better than Chennai and deserved all three points against a tough side. We have lots of work still to do but Pune will improve with each passing game. "
He lauded his team's defence as he said that the Super Machans had just one chance on goal and that his team suffered just because they made one mistake in 90 minutes. Habas said, "I don't remember any chance from them other than the goal. I also think that Jeje committed a foul before scoring his goal as the referee should have seen that as I think that the goal should not have been given."
No response to diving accusations
Chennaiyin manager Marco Materazzi had accused Pune City's players of diving in the 1-1 draw as Habas chose not to say anything about his counterpart and said, "We were much better in every aspect to Chennaiyin FC and that's all that matters."
Pune entered the field in a 4-4-2 formation in Habas' first game back from his suspension as Eduardo Ferreira came back into the side and winger Sanju Pradhan made his first start of the season. And the side will hope for a win in their next game against the Delhi Dynamos.
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