Sergio Lobera unveils his game plan for Punjab FC clash in ISL 2024-25

Sergio Lobera also praised the opposition ahead of their clash.

After a loss in their inaugural match of Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25, Odisha FC are now gearing up for their next fixture which is the match against Punjab FC at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi on September 20, 2024.

Odisha FC faced a defeat against Chennaiyin FC by 3-2 goals at their home ground, the Kalinga Stadium. They will now look to move ahead and perform better to clinch their maiden win in the ongoing league. 

Odisha FC’s coach Sergio Lobera also looked high on confidence when he attended the pre-match press conference and highlighted the issues of the loss and how they are going to tackle the drawbacks in the upcoming games. 

We scored a goal early and then repetitively lost possessions. 

Undoubtedly Odisha FC started with a lead after Diego Mauricio’s goal in the ninth minute in their game against Chennaiyin FC. The team then flattered in the middle and gave away three back-to-back goals and set themselves in the losing side. Even though Roy Krishna scored the second goal for his side in 90+5′ minutes of play, that was never enough for the team from Odisha to equalize. 

When a question was raised about their defeat, coach Sergio Lobera replied, “We scored one goal very early but then we kept on losing possession in the middle. We gave the power to the opponent team to play in a very strong position. We really need to improve our game in the upcoming matches by keeping the ball.

“We also need to be loyal to our style of play. I understand the excitement in players. We want to win the game and look to arrive at the opponent’s goal in a quick succession. But we need to try to fight it in the right way,” Sergio Lobera added.

Punjab are a good team to compete against

The Spaniard also praised the Punjab FC team as they defeated Kerala Blasters at their home ground in front of their fans to mark the season with an emphatic win. 

They outclassed Kerala Blasters FC by 2-1 goals. Luka Majcen and Filip Mrzljak scored the two goals for Punjab while Jesus Jimenez remained the only player to find the net for Kerala Blasters FC.  

Odisha FC’s coach stated, “There are no favorites in the world. But I think Punjab had a good match against Kerala Blasters FC. They got the victory in a very difficult game. With it they have also stated that they are a very good team to compete against in this season of ISL.” 

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