Kochi, Sep 16 (Agency) Kerala Blasters FC head coach Mikael Stahre expressed his disappointment after conceding two late goals which saw his team lose 2-1 to Punjab FC in their opening Indian Super League (ISL) clash at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here on Sunday night. The first half was somewhat cagey, with the visitors gaining control towards the end. Stahre made a couple of changes in the second half, as the Blasters gradually grew into the game. It appeared to be heading towards the first goalless draw of the season until the late drama unfolded. Punjab FC were awarded a penalty in the 86th minute, which Luka Majcen slotted home with precision. The Blasters struck back almost immediately, with Jesus Jimenez’s thumping header. However, in the final moments, the Shers secured the win as Filip Mrzljak scored the decisivegoal from a Majcen pass.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.
The Swedish coach began the post-match press conference by discussing Kotal’s performance, noting his role as a centre-back rather than his natural position at right-back. “The cross (from Pritam Kotal) itself looked good, but in football, it’s 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 (Kotal), he’s a very good player who can play in multiple positions, but right now, I consider him as a defender,” Stahre stated in the post-match press conference.Stahre provided further insights into the game, shedding 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.
The Blasters’ coach made two changes at halftime, bringing in Jesus Jimenez and Vibin Mohanan to replace Kwame Peprah and Mohammed Aimen, aiming to improve control of the ball. The home side looked better in the second half, but two late goals saw them start the season with a defeat. Stahre further explained his decisions, the impact of the substitutes, and the team’s performance in the second half. “We brought in Jesus (Jimenez) to help us keep possession better. We also subbed out Aimen, moving Noah (Sadaoui) to the left, and Vibin (Mohanan) came in. I must say, despite Vibin being injured since our camp in Thailand, this was his first game back, and he looked really sharp,” hesaid. “Defensively, we were solid overall, but in those key moments, we weren’t good enough. We have to attack with more players, have more passers, be more precise and technical, and, ultimately, more effective. I’m positive, but right now, it’s really really painful to handle this defeat. But we will bounce back, but it’s really painful to handle this moment,” Stahre opined.