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Hyderabad FC ended up on the wrong side of history when they succumbed to a whopping 1-4 defeat in the hands of Sreenidi Deccan FC in the first-ever Hyderabad derby.
While Ibrahim Sissoko, Eli Sabia, Lalromawia, and Kean Lewis all got on the scoresheet for Sreenidi, Makan Chothe pulled one back for the Nawabs late in the game.
The match was virtually inside the first 10 minutes as the Deccan Warriors had already scored three goals by then. They put things beyond the Yellow and Black's control in the 36th minute when the fourth went in.
Hyderabad FC's head coach Thangboi Singto, addressing the media after the game, seemed to take the positives in his stride and chose not to dwell on the negatives.
"The boys did really well for us. I am happy with the effort that they showed and the commitment with which they turned up. What more can a coach ask for? I am happy that we competed so well," said Singto.
"Today's was a game of two halves. We were a little late to start and that is where Sreenidi took advantage of us. In the second half, however, we got better, but unfortunately, we could not score more than one goal. So, are we happy with the results in the Super Cup? No. But are we happy with the progress we have shown? Definitely, yes," he added.
"We do have a lot of positives from this tournament and we want to take them forward to the ISL. We know what we need to improve upon and we will keep working on them. The young boys who played in this tournament did really well, but some of them still need time. But, do we have time? No. We have to adapt and adjust quickly. Hopefully, the second phase of the ISL will be better of us. Maybe the footballing Gods are watching," Singto elaborated.
"The boys have shown real desire and passion to do well, both for themselves and for Hyderabad FC" - Thangboi Singto
Hyderabad FC, albeit falling to listless standards in the ISL (they are ranked at the bottom of the table at the moment), did exceedingly well in the Super Cup.
They ran both Kolkata giants - East Bengal and Mohun Bagan - close and fared poorly only in the Hyderabad derby.
They scored a total of just four goals in the Super Cup but conceded nine, which is something they need to work on.
However, the fact that the players who turned up for the club in the tournament were not regular starters but mostly promotees from the reserves is what made coach Singto happy.
"These boys have shown what it means to play for the badge and what it means to play for the crest. They have shown real desire and passion to do well, both for themselves and for Hyderabad FC," said Singto.
"Led by (Laxmikant) Kattimani, who is a brilliant goalkeeper as well as captain, they showcased why they can be amongst the best in the business. Some of them have put their hands up saying that they deserve to be picked for the team in the ISL as well. Yes, there are a few things we need to work upon, but there are a lot of positives, and this should help us in the future," he concluded.
