Carles Cuadrat reflects on East Bengal FC’s second-half performance in defeat to Mohun Bagan SG

East Bengal FC’s Carles Cuadrat expressed satisfaction with his team’s second-half display despite a 3-1 loss to Mohun Bagan SG in the ISL. Cleiton Silva missed a crucial penalty early on, allowing the Mariners to score through Cummings, Colaco, and Petratos before Saul Crespo pulled one back for the Red & Golds.

Cuadrat believed his side could have turned the game around if they had capitalized on their chances, lauding their fighting spirit. Silva, who missed the penalty, later assisted Crespo but was denied by Vishal Kaith in a point-blank header. The coach praised Silva’s overall performance, noting the penalty miss and Lalchungnunga’s injury affected the team mentally.

The Spaniard acknowledged the psychological impact of Silva’s miss, emphasizing the need to understand such setbacks are a part of football. He revealed the decision not to substitute Lalchungnunga was to introduce youngsters Vishnu and Sayan, although Nandha’s late foul led to Mohun Bagan’s third goal.

Cuadrat’s post-match evaluation highlighted the mental challenges his team faced, focusing on the missed penalty and injury disrupting their tactical plans. Despite the defeat, he applauded East Bengal FC’s resilience in the second half and their efforts to create scoring opportunities.

The coach’s optimism for the future was evident as he praised his players’ determination and character, insisting that setbacks like missed penalties are inevitable in football. While lamenting the missed chances against Mohun Bagan SG, Cuadrat remained hopeful that his team’s fighting spirit would lead to better results in upcoming fixtures.