Punjab FC head coach Staikos Vergetis expressed disappointment with his team’s offensive performance in their 1-0 defeat to Odisha FC during Matchweek 12 of the Indian Super League (ISL) in Delhi on Tuesday. He emphasized the need for improvement in the attacking aspect of their play.
Punjab FC’s position in the table remains unchanged after this result, currently holding the 11th position with eight points from 12 games, featuring one win and five draws.
The Shers experienced intense pressure from Odisha FC right from the first whistle of the game, eventually conceding a goal in the 21st minute when Roy Krishna found the back of the net from close range.
Vergetis analyzed his team’s performance after the game and believes decision-making in the final third was a major issue in today’s defeat.
“We received a lot of pressure in the middle spaces from Odisha FC in the first half. They pressed us a lot and did not allow us to have possession of the ball,” Vergetis stated in the post-match press conference as per an ISL press release.
“In the second half, we had better possession of the ball. We tried to find ways to escape from the pressure and entered the defensive third of the opponent many times,” he added.
“Our big problem and my big concern is when we entered the attacking third but nothing happened. The final pass is not correct or the decision was not accurate. We need to work on this,” Vergetis continued.
Punjab FC had seven shots in total throughout the game, but they managed only one shot on target.
Vergetis believes that his players have quality, but the decision-making on the pitch during key moments of the game is not something that he and his coaching team can easily instil in the squad.