Kerala Blasters FC coach Mikael Stahre expressed disappointment after his team went down to Punjab FC in their opening Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25 clash at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi on Sunday.
Kerala Blasters, the hosts, suffered a 1-2 defeat.
Punjab FC scored their first goal from a penalty awarded in the 86th minute when Luka Majcen slotted home with precision. The Blasters levelled the score in almost no time, with Jesus Jimene finding the back of the net with a precise header.
Defender Pritam Kotal, who partnered with Milos Drincic in the centre-back role, pushed forward to provide a peach of a pass that Jimenez buried for the equaliser.
However, in the final moments, Punjab FC edged past the Blasters as Filip Mrzljak scored the decisive goal from a Majcen pass.
“Defensively, we were solid overall, but in those key moments, we weren’t good enough,” Stahre told the media in the post-match press conference.
“We have to attack with more players, have more passers, be more precise and technical, and, ultimately, more effective. I am positive, but right now, it is really really painful to handle this defeat. But we will bounce back, but it’s really painful to handle this moment,” Stahre stated.
‘I consider Pritam as a defender’
Talking about Kotal’s performance who assisted in Jimenez’s goal, he said the Indian player’s role is to operate as a centre-back, not a right-back.
“The cross (from Pritam Kotal) itself looked good, but in football, it is not just about attacking – defending is just as important. In this game, over two halves and extra time, we hardly conceded any chances at all. The team was really solid. As for Pritam, he is a very good player who can play in multiple positions, but right now, I consider him as a defender,” said Stahre.
Sharing his insights into the game, Stahre also shed light on the performance of his players and their performance in the opening half.
“It was an even game in the first 15-20 minutes. I think at the end of the first half, Punjab FC took the grip of the game but we hardly considered any chances at all, just some set pieces in general were nothing to worry about but we expected to do much better with the ball, and that’s why I made changes at halftime,” he added.