ISL 2024-25: East Bengal were 'Best Team', Says Carles Cuadrat After Defeat to Kerala Blasters in Kochi

Add as a preferred source on Google

After East Bengal's disappointing 1-2 loss to Kerala Blasters in the ISL 2024-25 season, head coach Carles Cuadrat expressed his frustration, stating that his team had been the better side for most of the match but failed to convert their dominance into points. The defeat marked East Bengal's second consecutive loss of the season.

Speaking after the match, Cuadrat said, "Yes, I feel sad for the boys because we didn't get the reward at any point. I think that we were fighting for the three points and we had a clear chance of making the score 0-2, but we didn't get it.

"Then we know that in this stadium, in the last moments, there's going to be a lot of pressure, and they are going to come at you very hard for the result. We were trying our best, but unfortunately, we didn't get any points."

Cuadrat acknowledged that East Bengal had been in control for the majority of the game, particularly after taking the lead in the 60th minute through PV Vishnu's goal. However, Kerala Blasters quickly responded, with goals from Noah Sadaoui and Kwame Peprah sealing the win for the hosts.

Reflecting on the match's turning point, Cuadrat commented, "It's in the moments of the game that cost us the match. It's a game of dynamics. I think for a lot of moments in this game, and also the game at Kanteerava against Bengaluru FC, we were the best team. But again, you have to score goals to make a big difference in the result and get the points because we've seen in a lot of games that suddenly the dynamic changes."

The Spanish coach also alluded to the emotional intensity of football in India, stating, "That kind of thing happens in Indian football. It's a very emotional game here in the country, and a lot of things happen."

Despite the defeat, Cuadrat remains optimistic that his team can learn from their missed chances and convert their strong performances into results as the season progresses.