Mumbai, Nov 27 (FN Bureau) Punjab FC head coach Panagiotis Dilmperis highlighted Ezequiel Vidal’s opening goal as the game-changer, as the Shers delivered a commanding performance to ease past Mumbai City FC with a 3-0 scoreline in the Indian Super League (ISL) match at the Mumbai Football Arena here on Tuesday night. Vidal, Luka Majcen, and Mushaga Bakenga were on target in Punjab FC’s biggest away win in league history. It was a comprehensive performance from the visitors, who showcased their resilience in absorbing the Islanders’ numerous attacking moves and their precision in converting chances in the opposition’s half. The Argentine forward opened the scoring with a left-footed strike just before halftime, giving the Shers a first-half lead. Dilmperis’ men built on their strong performance from the opening half in the second, scoring twice more to secure their fifth win of the ISL 2024-25 season.
“Congratulations to the players. They maintained so much more discipline than ever. Other than that, we were good; we have 15 points and are still in the position to qualify for the playoffs. This is our target,” Dilmperis remarked as he shared his post-match thoughts. “If we want to say that we did something because we lost the previous game at home, then the next game is the most important game of the season,” he said.The Shers, who had suffered back-to-back defeats against FC Goa and NorthEast United FC, got back on track with a commanding win against the Islanders in an away fixture. Dilmperis praised his players for their collective efforts, highlighting their potential to overcome the defending ISL Cup winners. “It’s been a long time now that our performance is good during the games. We created chances, but we couldn’t score. Most of the time in Goa, (there were) individual mistakes, and against NorthEast United FC, they (players) let the opponent score.
It was hard for us to come back because we were losing a lot of chances,” Dilmperis said. “Today, the game started the same way because we had chances outside of the box. A lot of shots, but we couldn’t score. I would say that we were lucky in the first goal because it was the end of the half and changed the balance of the game. And also, the ball hits somewhere and goes over; maybe the keeper could save it,” he said. While quizzed on their strategies in the final half with a slender one-goal lead, Dilmperis answered, “In the second half it was so simple to manage the score and at the same time still keep doing what we were doing in the first half. I remember a couple of chances, but usually, Mumbai City FC in home games has more chances. So, congratulations to my players.” The Punjab FC head coach believed this performance against the Mumbai City FC side would boost his players’ confidence going forward. He urged his players to stay focused and carry forward the positive momentum in the upcoming fixtures.“The most important thing is that now we’re humble because we’re on the battle. We lost two games in a row, and especially the last one was a home game. Usually, good teams manage to stand up, and this is good for my team,” he opined. “On the other hand, it is great. Because in my team there are a lot of young players with less experience in this league. They have to find confidence, and this result is giving confidence to these players,” Dilmperis signed off.