Josep Gombau: We want to have good results in the next two games as well

The head coach thanked the fans for coming to the stadium in large numbers

Odisha FC got back to winning ways after defeating second-placed Hyderabad FC at the Kalinga Stadium by a margin of 3-1. The win got them back among the top six as they overtook Bengaluru FC to get inside the coveted playoff qualification zone. It was a comprehensive performance from Josep Gombau's men to seal three crucial points against the flying Hyderabad FC. For their upcoming fixture, the Kalinga Warriors will take a trip to the NorthEast next week.

After the game, Odisha FC head coach Josep Gombau attended the post-game press conference. Edited excerpts from the conference are as follows.

On winning the game and getting invaluable three points

Gombau talked about the importance of getting three points from today's game. He said, "These were very important three points for us. We have two more games to go. We want to have good results in the next two games as well. I believe we can achieve our target of being among the top six."

Evaluation of Isak Vanlalruatfela's performance

Isak Vanlalruatfela scored Odisha's first goal through an outstanding strike from outside the penalty box. The head coach expressed his evaluation of the performance of the young winger.

"Isak did very well and worked very hard. A lot of players were involved in today's win. Everybody is working hard with a strong mentality. Isak did well. He is helping a lot. We are happy with him. He needs to keep working."

On the plan ahead

Josep Gombau talked about his approach going forward. He said that today the team will celebrate and from the next day they will be back at the training pitch.

"Now is the moment to enjoy today. We play three games in eight games. So, we don't have a moment to rest. We will enjoy today and come back the next day with a renewed focus to try to achieve our objectives. Today's job is done. We need to be aware of this, keep our concentration, and play our next two games with the same intention with which we played the last three games."

On the takeaways from today's game

Gombau talked about the major takeaways from the game against Hyderabad. He praised his team for not making the kinds of mistakes that they made in their last three games. He stated, "We were playing the last few games trying to avoid risks. In the last three games, we made mistakes that cost us points. We discussed this and decided in the last game to be more practical. Maybe the football is not that good, but we are trying to be more competitive. This is what we want to do, run a hundred percent and keep our concentration a hundred percent. We are bringing in five substitutes. When they are coming on to the field, we want them to maintain the same intensity."

Approach toward the upcoming game against NorthEast United FC

Josep Gombau stated how he and Odisha will be approaching their next game against NorthEast United. He said, "Every game has the same value. We don't expect it to be an easy game. NorthEast has improved a lot from how they were playing at the beginning of the season. They are now a different team. I saw them against East Bengal. What I understood is that the game against them will be difficult for us. We will go there with a strong mentality and play to win as three points are very important for us to be among the top six."

Reaction to the fans who flocked to the stadium

The coach reacted to the fact that a large number of fans came to the stadium to witness the game against the second-placed side. He said, "This is the best. They are helping a lot. We will play here again on 22nd. I urge them to come to the stadium on that day also. Together, we can do a good job and get the much-needed three points required to be in the playoffs."