Mikael Stahre believes his players showed the ‘Kerala Blasters attitude’ in Odisha FC draw

The Swedish manager reflected on his side’s second successive draw of the season.

Mikael Stahre-led Kerala Blasters FC played out a 2-2 draw against Odisha FC in their second away fixture of the Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25 season. The Tuskers had a two-goal cushion, thanks to some explosive attacks from the combination of Jesús Jiménez and Noah Sadaoui early in the game.

However, they surrendered the lead almost immediately. A goalkeeping error led to an own goal, which gave the Kalinga Warriors their first goal, and Diego Mauricio followed up with a strike that leveled things up.

Mikael Stahre on his side’s performance

The Blasters’ head coach reflected on his team’s performance, and said, “Odisha is a strong team, but we played well against their game plan. We played fast and aggressive, and we didn’t deserve to concede those two goals – one of which came out of nowhere. It’s normal to lose momentum when the other team scores a goal, especially when they are playing at home.

“We were a little sloppy in defence for a few minutes, but then we came back into the game. It is painful to lose that two-goal cushion but I am proud of my players and the way they came back in the second half. I have been in games where teams lose spirit once the opposition equalizes, but these lads kept going. We showed them the ‘Kerala Blasters attitude’.”

Mikael Stahre was also asked how satisfied he was with the performance. The Swedish tactician replied, “I’m neither very happy nor too disappointed. I’m pleased that this game had more positives than negatives for us. But of course, going 2-0 up and not winning is painful. They equalized early, but we had plenty of time to turn things around and create some big chances. I have mixed emotions about the game.”

Discussing the team’s second-half performance, Mikael Stahre stated, “I believe we controlled the game well in the second half. We struggled in transitions when we lost the ball, as they had some very skillful players who could break through. However, it was certainly a closely matched, end-to-end game, and I believe we were the team closer to victory.”

On Noah Sadaoui

Noah Sadaoui was named Player of the Match for his impressive performance, adding a goal and an assist to his tally. Stahre also commented on the winger’s impact on the game, mentioning, “Noah is always dangerous against any opponents and a really good player for us I have to credit the whole team; it was a team performance. I believe we are on the right track, making good progress.”

ALSO READ: ISL 2024-25: Updated Points Table, most goals, and most assists after match 21, Odisha FC vs Kerala Blasters FC

On Kerala Blasters’ overall results this season

When asked about the Blasters’ performance in the league so far, the mentor said, “We should focus on the bright side. I believe we are making progress, and that’s one of the most important things. At the end of the day, winning is what matters, but the silver lining is that everyone can see we’re playing with energy, showing the right attitude, and playing for the fans.”

On the fans and their support

Stahre was also delighted by Kerala Blasters’ traveling fans and endorsed their support as he concluded, “They are fantastic. I have been traveling around the world for the past 15 years, but the atmosphere and energy the fans have around Kerala Blasters is truly unique.”

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