We went to sleep after equalising: ATK coach Sheringham

ATK head coach Teddy Sheringham on Sunday said they lost the match in the two seconds after equalising early in the second half as their defence went to sleep, leading to FC Pune City coming back to take the lead 2-1 and eventually win 4-1.

"It looked a big margin but it was closely fought for an hour. We got ourselves back in it with a fantastic free kick but went to sleep for two seconds and put ourselves under pressure again to concede the second goal," Sheringham told reporters at the end of the second round Indian Super League (ISL) match here.

Bipin Singh scored a superb free kick in the 50th minute to cancel out Marcelinho's first half strike. But in the next minute, Rohit Kumar headed in Marcelinho's corner.

Sheringham said his side fought well for an hour but after falling behind immediately after level-pegging cost them the game.

Pune went to add two more goals with Marcelinho scoring his second and Uruguayan Emiliano Alfaro adding a fourth with ten minutes to full time.

"We defend as a team and attack as a team. It's not just the defence or the goalkeeper. We defend from the front as well. We need to do better as a team all over the pitch. Switching on after we scored a goal and stop opponent from scoring. That comes as a unit and not just defence," Sheringham said when asked if he blamed his backline for the humiliating reversal.

He did not blame goalkeeper Debjit Majumdar also.

"I don't know you can't blame Debjit. The first goal, he fell against a clear shot and I can't blame him for that. second one, far post header, centre halves got to do better and protect it.

"The third one's a deflection and I haven't seen the fourth one but I would like to think that's a deflection. The way it slid under his body. No point blaming Debjit sometimes it happens in football and you are left open as a goalkeeper," Sheringham said.

ATK, who have one point from two games, next play Jamshedpur FC on December 1.

--IANS

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