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Referee blows the whistle and ATK fans go up in cheers. Robin Singh walks off shaking his head. This is ATK's biggest home win in its history. Antonio Habas is back at the helm and how. This win and scoreline will resonate with the ATK fans, who have been unimpressed with the team's football in the last two season. ATK's next home game might see more fans in the stands. A complete performance from ATK on the night as Hyderabad's introduction ends in horror. We will be back again with the match-report, talking points and podcast reviewing the contest over the next 24 hours. Until then, it's good night.
90' +4' - GOAAAAL!!! Edu Garcia with his second goal of the night! Humiliation for Hyderabad FC on its first night in the ISL! Prabir whips in a dangerous cross into the box and no Hyderabad defender is keen on getting to it as Garcia runs in behind them to head it in!
90' + 2' - Komal Thatal is found inside the box by Halder with a backheel. The youngster thumps a shot at Kamaljit, who fists it away for a corner. ATK's 9th shot on target.
88' - GOAAAAL!! Prabir is found on the overlap behind the defence and he runs in to the box and lays the ball across the face of the goal. Edu Garcia comes in unmarked and thumps the bal into the roof of the net. Prbir may have been in an offside position when the pass was played to him.
85' - Prabir Das gets a lucky deflection in the middle of the park which allows him to run at the Hyderabad defenders. He gets into the box and has a go at goal but his shot is blazed over the bar.
84' - SUB: Roy Krishna goes off to a warm reception. Komal Thatal comes on.
81' - Soosairaj is booked for time-wasting... Bizarre stuff with the throw in from ATK.
Poojari is back on the pitch and so is Barnes.
75' - Barnes now has a terrible landing. He goes down clutching his knee. Hyderabad might have to finish the match with nine men.
72' - Poojari is down injured but ATK continues playing. The ball is chested down to Soosairaj in space and looks like he badly wants that goal. He goes for another curler to the near post which requires Kamljit to get his fingertips to push it behind for a corner. Kamaljit is not too happy that ATK didn't put the ball out of play. Poojari is taken off the pitch.
70' - SUB: Edu Garcia comes on for Hernandez. He seems to have run out of steam as the game has gone on.
Habas isn't happy with his team's passing in this half and is preparing a second change in the form of Edu Garcia.
ATK has taken its foot off the pedal in this half. Hyderabad, too, to its credit has started this second period with better purpose.
63' - A cross into the Hyderabad box is fisted out by Kamaljit. Soosai picks it u[ and tries to bend it into the near post but the 'keeper has it covered and catches it.
60' - Robin Singh swings his arm and catches Anas in the face. Anas is not too happy about it. The referee books the Hyderabad forward.
SUB: Marcelinho off for Ghani Ahmed. Hyderabad's last change
SUB: Pronay Halder comes on for Rane in the 58th minute. Rane was undoubtedly one of the star performers in the first half for ATK.
ATK is happy letting Hyderabad have possession as it looks to threaten with its pace on the counter.
49' - CHANCE(S)! Barnes get to the end of a cross from the right, but makes to slot it in. Later, on the counter, Soosai makes a stunning run through the middle - getting the better of two defenders. He sends it through to Javier, who cut is back for Krishna but Hyderabad defenders block the move.
48' - Marcelinho lifts the ball from the midfield and sends it forward, which forces Prabir to clear it out for a corner.
46' - Second half begins. Laldanmawia comes on for Asish.
Referee blows for the half time whistle much to the dismay of the ATK fans and relief of Hyderabad FC. What a breathtaking half that was with ATK turning it on with three goals. There will likely be plenty of shouting and yelling in the Hyderabad dressing room.
45' + 2' - Williams nearly had his hat-trick! ATK again on the counter with Krishna and Williams in a two-on-one advantage where the former plays in the latter with a square ball on the face of goal. Williams at the far post somehow failed to slot that in.
45' - GOAAAL!! Phil Brown can't believe the start his team has had in the opening 45 minutes as he stares in disbelief with his hands on hip. Doubts of offside as Williams runs through on goal and slots it between Kamaljit's legs once again and reel away in celebration. Jayesh Rane made an interception in the middle and with a first-time pass released Williams.
42' - Yellow card for Sahil, who catches Krishna with a high boot to the forward's face. Habas is unhappy with that effort.
41' - Hyderabad FC is unhinged in attack. Marcelinho dribbles into the box, holds on to the ball before playing a back heel with just one teammate in the box. The ball transition leads to a dangerous ATK counter, which is stopped by Kilgallon.
Sahil Panwar is struggling a bit after taking a nasty fall. He stretches on the sideline before coming back in to the pitch.
ATK has had 10 shots so far to Hyderabad's four.
35' - Hernandez now from distance! He curls it from the right side and Kamaljit fists it away.
32' - Nikhil cuts in from the left and takes a shot from distance which is blocked. The ball falls to Adil, whose shot is off target.
The ATK fans are in loud voice with the team in the driving seat. Anguish on the face of Hyderabad boss Brown.
28' - GOOALLL!! Roy Krishna gets on the socresheet!Pune City Hyderabad FC in disarray! ATK wins the ball in midfield and Willaims runs through the left side and plays in Krishna in space. The Figi striker with a scuffed shot somehow managed to evade Kamaljit's dive as the ball hit the inside of the far post before bouncing into the net.
26' - GOAAL!!! David Williams with all the time in the world to slot that ball in between Kamaljit's legs. A long goal kick finds Hernandez unmarked and he slices a through ball to Williams , who beats the offside trap and finishes things off.
25' - Shot from a long way off from Stankovic and its way off target.
23' - Soosairaj runs down the left flank, plays in Krishna, who sets up Jayesh. The midfielder connects well from outside the box but the shot is straight at Kamaljit, who palms it away.
22' - Robin was nearly found with a long ball inside ATK's box but Agus reads it and cuts off the danger.
Rain is pouring down at the moment.
19' - Soosairaj! He nearly announcing himself at the Salt Lake Stadium with a spectacular effort! Given room to cut in and take a shot, Soosai bends it from range which rattles the far post!
17' - Hernandez should have done better there. He had two bites after Williams set him twice. But he went for couple of first-time left-footed efforts which doesn't trouble Kamaljit.
SUB: Rafael Gomez is holding his thigh and is going off the pitch. Marko Stankovic comes on in place of him.
13' - Jayesh Rane is snapping quickly at the heels of the Hyderabad players! He is going full throttle at the monent. Steals the ball in midfield, runs into the Hyderabad box and nearly sets up Krishna on the turn. Kilgallon clears the ball before it gets to Krishna.
11' - Williams with a rasping hit from distance! The ball moves a bit on its path and Kamaljit on the dive nearly gets it wrong but ultimately gets a good strong gand to keep the ball away from the net.
9' - Close shave for Hyderabad. Kamaljit takes a touch too many and it nearly costs his team a goal. Williams chases down the ball and blocks Kamaljit's hoof from his box and it nearly ends up in the back of the net.
Broadcaster has go ATK's formation wrong. Soosai seems to be playing from a left wing back role.
ATK has started brightly here with Javier Hernandez running amock in the middle of the park.
5' - Robin finds Barnes inside ATK's box but the Jamaican's touch is heavy which takes it away from him and doesn't allow him to take a shot as soon as he would have liked. Agus clears it out of danger.
2' - Shouts for a penalty in Hyderabad's box! The referee seemed to point to the spot after Prabir went down in the area but the official was only signalling a goal kick. Replay shows Prabir went down too easily. He is lucky to escape a booking.
1' - Javier with a mazy run from the right side slicing through Hyderabad's midfield before laying it off for Jayesh, who takes a shot from distance. The shot goes wide of Kamaljit.
1' - It's kick-off with Hyderabad, in black, playing from right to left.
It's not a full house at the Salt Lake, which can house close to 66,000. The attendance isn't anywhere close to the numbers we had here last week when India hosted Bangladesh in the FIFA World Cup qualifiers. 61,000 people turned up that night.
FIRST HALF
Back to the match now. Looks like Soosai will start through the middle in the No. 10 role behind Krishna. ATK will likely line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation. The broadcaster reckons Hyderabad will start with a 3-5-2 formation. Marcelinho will likely have the advanced midfield role just behind strikers Robin Singh and Giles Barnes
Some news on the I-League front: The AIFF League committee has decided that the I-League will begin on November 30.
Phil Brown hands out league debuts for foreigners Giles Barnes and Matthew Kilgallon. On the domestic front, former Indian Arrows prospect Ashish Rai will make his ISL debut.
One change for ATK tonight: Anas Edathodika makes his ATK debut tonight. The center-back replaces midfielder Pronay Halder in the line-up. Carl McHugh will likely fill in the midfield role in the absence of Halder.
Skipper and goalkeeper Kamaljit Singh feels there is terrific camaraderie within the Hyderabad camp. He also pointed out that the team will not be rigid with its tactics this season. READ INTERVIEW
Newcomer Hyderabad FC, city's first ISL team, is coming into the season unbeaten. Having taken on board most of the players from the now-defunct FC Pune City, Phil Brown's side will be hoping to have a good showing.
READ SEASON PREVIEW
RECAP OF YESTERDAY
Mumbai City FC kicked off its campaign with a scrappy 1-0 win over Kerala Blasters in Kochi. This was the Islanders' first-ever away victory at the home of the Blasters. New signing Amine Chermeti slotted home the winner in the 82nd minute after a defensive error inside the Blasters box.
Full report: Late goal sees Mumbai City down Kerala Blasters
Talking points:
Mumbai City seals first-ever win in Kochi
MATCH PREVIEW
The two-time champion ATK will face a big challenge when the newly formed Hyderabad FC comes calling it at home for its Indian Super League debut at the Salt Lake Stadium on Friday. Having lost its first outing 1-2 while visiting Kerala Blasters on Sunday, ATK coach Antiono Habas knows the importance of picking up points in the season's first home game. The Spaniard, who has been recalled to the side after a break of three seasons, will be looking to recall the favourable home record he had enjoyed in his previous stint with the team.
Habas said his team is yet to settle down to the balance he is looking to bring in the side. “I think we have great fitness to play well in the first 40 minutes. That maybe happening because we need more balance in the team. We need to improve with the players. We have seven new players in the team and it is very difficult to create the perfect balance with a new side.” Habas said
Star striker Roy Krishna, who had a couple of good chances to open his ISL account in Kochi, and Javi Hernandez will be key for ATK in attack while the likes of Michael Soosairaj will be expected to give them good support.
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Hyderabad without Nestor Gordillo until December
For Hyderabad FC coach Phil Brown, the change in nomenclature, from FC Pune City, and the address of his side has doubled its task of establishing its identity in the league. Hyderabad enjoys an important place in the history of Indian football and the Englishman is aware of the new responsibility.
Hyderabad have also some good attacking options in its ranks in Jamaican forward Giles Barnes and Brazilian attacker Bobo. However, Spanish midfielder Nestor Gordillo will not be available until late December, owing to a ban handed to him by the All India Football Federation (AIFF).
“When you are a new franchise going into a new league, I think we have a responsibility to play the right kind of football to enhance ISL’s brand. We have no identity yet and we are striving to get one. We have to win over the hearts and bring the excitement to fill the stadiums. We have a big part to play this season and hopefully that starts tomorrow,” Brown said ahead of his team’s ISL debut.
MATCH BROADCAST DETAILS:
ATK vs Hyderabad FC will be shown on Star Sports network and can also be streamed live on Hotstar. The kick-off is scheduled for 7:30 PM IST.
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