Khalid Jamil rues lack of concentration after Odisha FC loss

The NorthEast United head coach shared his thoughts on the game and his team's missed chances.

Indian Super League (ISL) outfit NorthEast United FC sustained their third loss of the ongoing 2021-22 season against Odisha FC on Friday night. The Highlanders looked like the superior side for the majority of the game, but lacked the finishing touches to clinch three points.

At the end, their series of missed chances came back to haunt them as Odisha FC took home all three points. The Juggernauts went ahead in the 81st minute, courtesy of a header by Jonathas de Jesus. The Highlanders tried to find their way back into the game, but couldn’t turn the table in their favour.

Following the game, NorthEast United head coach Khalid Jamil addressed in the post-match press conference.

Thoughts on the game

NorthEast United were on the receiving end of a defeat despite being the better side on the night. Sharing his thoughts on the game, Khalid Jamil felt that his side looked good in the first half, but lack of concentration cost them the game.

“I was thinking that we tried very good in the first half and everybody worked hard, but we didn’t hit the target. In the second half, there’s only one thing that we lacked and that is lack of concentration,” he began.

Thoughts on missed chances 

The Highlanders started brightly and completely outplayed Odisha FC in certain parts of the first half. But, it was a tale of missed chances for them as both Deshorn Brown and Mathias Coureur missed goalscoring chances. Odisha FC, on the other hand, converted their opportunities to seal the deal on Friday night. 

Khalid Jamil shared his thoughts on his side’s missed chances and said the squad needs to look forward and work hard for the next match. “It happens sometimes. We’ve got a short time and we must forget this game and think about next game, which is very important for us in two days,” he opined.

How to motivate players?

The club are going through a tough time on the pitch and it's imperative that they stick together during the period. When quizzed about how he motivates his players after a game like this, Khalid Jamil said, “We have to do good recovery. There will be some changes for the team, definitely. Maybe we will put a few new players because we have less time.”

Update on Subhashish Roy Chowdhury 

The Highlanders’ first-choice goalkeeper, Subhashish Roy Chowdhury, was absent in the matchday squad against Odisha FC. Mirshad Michu came in to replace the veteran goalkeeper in the starting XI. Khalid Jamil informed that he sustained an injury during a training session and is recuperating.

“He was injured in practice today. He was not absolutely fit, but we missed him because of his experience,” Khalid Jamil concluded.

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