XtraTime Newsdesk

After playing so well and creating so many chances, a defeat like this is difficult for anyone to accept. East Bengal head coach Antonio Lopez Habas is no exception. The Spanish coach was left frustrated by his team’s missed opportunities and defensive mistakes, repeatedly highlighting these two factors after the match.

Habas even suggested that East Bengal could have scored 10 goals. “I do not agree with today’s result because I do not think East Bengal deserved to lose this match. We had at least 10 opportunities to score—10! Yet we conceded three goals in a foolish manner, which is simply unacceptable, especially at the beginning of the second half,” he said.

The coach felt that his team lacked composure at the back, with defensive urgency, determination, alertness and concentration all missing when they were needed most.

Explaining his assessment of the match, Habas said, “Considering the physical, tactical and technical aspects, I felt we managed to follow a particular style and pattern of play during the final 30 minutes of the first half. That was the plan based on the circumstances. However, physical condition, the quality of the opposition, humidity and heat can also have an impact. Towards the end, we had to keep attacking their box and maintain the intensity of our attacks. I think the difference today may have been tactical rather than physical.”

Was the defeat a major setback to East Bengal’s hopes of reaching the next round? Habas admitted that his team had squandered a good opportunity.

“We had two away matches and two home matches. I felt that the way we played in the first 45 minutes in Jordan and the first 45 minutes in Kolkata gave us a chance to qualify for the next round. But then came five to 10 minutes of foolish moments and a lack of concentration. The same thing happened in Jordan. You cannot qualify for the next round like this. However, this is my job, and I must correct these mistakes immediately,” he said.

The Spanish coach was particularly disappointed with his players’ failure to follow his half-time instructions.

“At half-time, I repeatedly told the players to be careful and stay focused during the first few minutes. But we conceded a goal and then allowed two goals from set-pieces within just three or four minutes,” he added.

David scored twice but also missed at least three clear opportunities. Nevertheless, Habas was full of praise for the forward.

“David is an extraordinary footballer. In my eyes, he is a top-class player and one of the best in India,” he said.

Despite the disappointing result, Habas insisted that East Bengal must move forward.

“We have to keep going. We are trying to improve the team and play attacking football. Our supporters need to stand by us even more during this difficult period,” he said.

Interestingly, Al-Shorta’s head coach also praised Habas’s tactical approach. He admitted that some of the decisions taken by the East Bengal coach in the first half had genuinely surprised him, underlining the quality of Habas’s tactical planning despite the final result.