Not easy to come from huge loss and perform so well, says Sergio Lobera after win over Kerala Blasters

Sergio Lobera revealed the team talk at half time.

Odisha FC recommenced their ISL 2023-24 campaign by defeating Kerala Blasters 2-1 at the Kalinga Stadium on Friday. With the win, they moved to the second spot in the points table with 27 points from 13 matches. 

Kerala Blasters took an early lead in the match with a goal from Dimitrios Diamantakos in the 11th minute of play, which stood as the sole goal until the conclusion of the first half. In the second half, Roy Krishna netted two rapid goals, one in the 53rd and the other in the 57th minute, securing the lead and ultimately the victory for the Juggernauts.

The post-match press conference was attended by Sergio Lobera, the head coach of Odisha FC. Here are excerpts from the conversation:

Win against a tough team

Kerala Blasters were leading over Odisha FC in the points table at the start of the match, highlighting the strength of the visiting team.

“I’m happy that we have gained three crucial points by defeating a good opponent. It’s never easy to come from a huge loss, that too losing a trophy in front of the home crowd, and again performing so well. But I’m proud of my players as they made a good comeback in the second half,” coach Sergio Lobera highlighted the importance of winning the match. 

Improved game in the second half

Odisha FC appeared to be out of sync in the first half and suffered a setback by conceding a goal within the first quarter of play. However, they regrouped effectively and managed to secure a strong comeback, ultimately prevailing over their opponents in the presence of their home crowd.

When asked about the message conveyed to the players during the break, the tactician replied, “It was very simple. Just believe in yourself and be loyal to your stuff, play to have more possession of the ball and increase the possession.”

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