Sergio Lobera highlights 'injury crisis' as Odisha FC suffers 3-2 defeat to Kerala Blasters

Odisha FC have collected five points from their last five games.

Indian Super League (ISL) club Odisha FC and head coach Sergio Lobera faced yet another challenging night as they slipped to a close 3-2 loss to Kerala Blasters FC in matchweek 16. Despite a spirited performance, particularly in the first half, Odisha struggled after going down to 10 men in the second half, and conceded a late goal.

Goals from Kwame Peprah, Jesús Jimenez and the last-gasp winner by Noah Sadaoui closed out a thrilling contest. While speaking at the post-match press conference, Lobera acknowledged the difficulties his team faced, after succumbing to their second loss in last five games.

Injuries have hit Odisha FC hard

Odisha’s depleted squad and a congested schedule left the Spaniard with limited options. Reportedly, the club travelled with only 16 players and two goalkeepers for their trip to Kochi for matchweek 16. While talking about the club’s current situation, he stated, “Today was difficult for me as a coach because we missed a lot of key players—five of them, maybe two starters. In the second half, when we were suffering, we missed those players.”

Despite the challenges, Lobera was quick to praise his team’s mentality to continue to fight till the final whistle. He stated, “I love the spirit of my team. Even with 10 players and a 2-2 scoreline, we went for the win. The collective fight was amazing.”

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Sergio Lobera laments about ‘bad luck’

However, the second half proved to be the Juggernauts’ undoing. The Tuskers ramped up the intensity on Odisha, who went down to 10 men after centre-back Carlos Delgado was sent off in the 80th minute. The Blasters capitalized on the spaces left open in the Juggernauts’ defence, and finally got the just reward for their efforts through Noah Sadaoui in injury time.

Sadaoui’s late winner was a bitter pill to swallow for Odisha. The Spaniard admitted it could have come earlier in the game but shared it was a tough game after the decisive moment. He stated, “It’s bad luck to concede the last goal, but they pushed us a lot, and we suffered in the second half.”

Odisha have some positives to take from the game

Despite the loss, Odisha’s coach emphasized the need to focus on the positives, noting their resilience and effort to stay competitive under tough circumstances. The defeat has adverse implications for Odisha’s playoff ambitions, with the team now needing to regroup quickly in the coming games.

While speaking on their current form, he stated, “We need to continue working. Before this game, we had only lost one in the last eight. The table changes with this loss, but we must prepare for the next match and aim for three points. We believe we can finish in the top six.”

While talking about the players they missed through injury, Lobera singled out missing striker Roy Krishna for this game. While acknowledging his versatility and leadership were missed, the Spaniard stressed the importance of moving forward and finding solutions. He stated, “We cannot depend on just one or two players. If you want to compete for everything, you need a competitive squad.”

The Juggernauts now face a crucial stretch in their season as they fight for a playoff spot. The next three games see Odisha facing Bengaluru FC, NorthEast United FC, and FC Goa in one of the toughest periods they have endured this season. While Lobera remains hopeful that his side can overcome their current challenges, the club needs to navigate this period with a united front.

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