We are team with attacking mentality, says Josep Gombau

The Juggernauts made a stunning comeback to win the match 2-3 after trailing 2-0 within the first 10 minutes.

Jamshedpur FC - Odisha FC was a great game of football at the JRD Tata Sports Complex where a full-house audience witnessed a stunning comeback win from the Kalinga Warriors in the Indian Super League ISL 2022-23. They may not have been happy with the result of the game, but it was definitely worth the wait that the spectators had to undergo because of the rainfall-induced delay. Jamshedpur began the game brilliantly in front of their home crowd and went ahead 2-0 within no time. However, from that moment on, Odisha FC continued to grow in the game, which ultimately culminated in a victory for the side. This is what Josep Gombau had to say after the match.

On how the team celebrated the victory

Josep Gombau looked quite ecstatic after today's victory. However, at the same time, he sounded cautious and said that it was only the first game and that the team needs to continue with the momentum. He said, 'It was just a game. It was the first game of the league. It's not about a big celebration. The players are happy and I am happy for them. I feel proud because the team’s mentality is strong and we came back to win the match. But in football, we can be happy today but tomorrow we have to be focused.' 

How he motivated the team

When a press person enquired how he motivated his team against all odds in the form of bad weather, a large away crowd, and a poor start, the Odisha FC manager said that credits go to his team for putting up a spirited fight. he quoted, 'In the very beginning we thought it was very difficult to play because the field was very wet. In the first 15 minutes, we did not play much well. In these 15 minutes, we conceded the goals. After that the pitch got dry and it allowed us to play the kind of football that we wanted to play. We tried to work and build from the back. When the rain stopped, it became much better. I think playing good football is important for us.' 

Players who played a key role

In his reply to a question asking which players made the difference in the game, Josep Gombau did not want to name any single player and gave credit to the entire team. he said, 'I think it's the team. The mentality of the team. They played together strong and everybody believed. The entire team played well and together we came back to win the game.'

Reaction to conceding two goals within the first 10 minutes

The Spanish tactician thinks there are two reasons for his team to concede within the first 10 minutes and then explained the same. He said, 'I think there are two reasons. For the first one, we tried to play a kind of football that we think was very difficult with the condition of the pitch. It was my mistake because I told the players don’t play the football that we are playing. This can be one thing. And the other thing is that it was the first game and we were playing away. Jamshedpur is a very good team in front of this crowd. In the first 10 minutes, we were a little bit lost. But I believed that we can do it. And after that, slowly it became clear that we can compete and that we can win.'

Odisha's style of play

When a journalist asked if Odisha was going to play a similar kind of attacking football for the rest of the season, Josep Gombau readily said yes. He said, 'Yeah, we are a team with an offensive mentality. We want to get the goals and this is the way we are gonna play. Somedays like today it becomes difficult because at first the conditions were very difficult. Then we decided we want to play aggressively and it was a good decision. The field got dry. We are a team who are working to play aggressively, to get the goals, and this is the way we want to approach the season.'

Gombau's reaction to seeing a full-house JRD Tata Sports Complex

 When a reporter asked if it was intimidating to play against a full-house away crowd, Gombau stated that it was actually exciting. He said, 'I think it is amazing to have fans who wait for an hour. They were driving their team constantly, showing their love for the game. I want to congratulate them. For us, in India, I liked it because the people are very nice. And even if you are playing away and they are not taking your side, nobody lost respect for us. And definitely, it's very good that football is growing in India. The fans had a huge role in the game. And in games like today, they come and they see five goals. It makes them enjoy it and they would like to come back thinking that we have a big part in this. As coaches, we need to reassure the fans so that people come and engage with the games. This will make football grow in India.'