Gerald Peyton admits FC Goa were 'technically' better than Odisha

The club's interim head coach also expressed hope that they will continue developing for the upcoming season.

It was yet another disappointing result for Odisha FC as they succumbed to a 1-3 defeat against FC Goa. This was the Juggernauts’ eleventh loss of the season and they sit at the bottom of the Indian Super League (ISL) points table with nine points from 18 games. Meanwhile, the win saw the Gaurs climb back to the top 4 in the league table, thereby improving their chances of qualifying for the playoffs. As expected, Odisha FC’s interim coach Gerald Peyton spoke to the media in the post-match press conference.

Goa technically better

As evident from the scoreline, it turned out to be a comfortable win for FC Goa at the end. When asked if Odisha were outclassed by their opponents in terms of quality, the 64 year old stated, “I am going to be totally honest, I think they (FC Goa) are a very good side. I think technically they are one of the best teams in the league and that’s why they are going for the Championship.

He further added, "But I also think we matched them tactically. Technically, they were better than us and they took their goals well.”

Positives from the game

Gerald Peyton believes that there are many positives to be taken form the game despite the result. “From this game I take the positive that we are still developing for next season. Zuala came in and this was his first professional game at any level. So I was very pleased to see him.

"I was very pleased to see how he played. I think he is a good player for the future for Odisha. I think Paul will come in maybe in the next game. I think he is going to be ready. So there’s two players that we have developed," the former Arsenal goalkeeping coach said.

Team’s progression

Peyton also claimed that his team has improved a lot since the beginning of the season. “I think from the start of the season to where we are now, the team has progressed a lot. I think it has been a great progression. With the Indian players specially. We’ve got more passing accuracy. Our possession has been better," he said.

On Diego Mauricio

The Irishman said before the game that he would like his forward, Diego Mauricio to score 2-3 goals against FC Goa. While the Brazilian was able to find the back of the net once, Gerald Peyton was asked if he wanted more. “I am disappointed and he is disappointed. He always wants to score goals.

"But the good thing was he looked very fresh tonight. So the rest and coming on at half-time (in the last match) done him a world of good. Also he didn’t get injured so I am very pleased," the Juggernauts’ interim head coach signed off.

For more updates, follow Khel Now on Twitter, Instagram and join our community on Telegram.