ISL: Punjab FC to lock horns against Odisha FC in their first home game of season
Sep 19, 2024
New Delhi [India], September 19 : Punjab FC (PFC) will welcome Odisha FC for their first home game of the season on Friday in the Indian Super League (ISL) at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi.
The match is scheduled to kick-off at 7:30 PM. Punjab FC started their new season with a brilliant 2-1 victory over Kerala Blasters at Kochi, with Filip Mrzljak's 95th minute goal while Odisha FC went down to Chennaiyin FC 2-3 in their season opener at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneshwar.
Speaking ahead of their first home game, PFC head coach Panagiotis Dilmperis said that they excited to play at home.
"We are excited to be playing at home tomorrow. We have had a very good start to the season and we will look to continue that momentum into tomorrow. Odisha are a good side who are coached by a very experienced and tactically sound manager," Dilmperis said, according to a release from PFC.
Punjab FC will miss the services of Luka Majcen who sustained an injury in the first match. "We hope that Luka recovers quickly and joins the team. He is a fighter and would have been with the team even in this situation if it was possible," said the coach when asked about if the team will miss his presence on and off the field.
PFC midfielder Filip Mrzljak during the pre - match press conference said, "It has been a great start personally for me and for the team. The ISL is tougher than I expected and the matches will get tougher from here. We have trained well as a team and we hope for a tough match against Odisha tomorrow."
Last season, Odisha got the better of Punjab FC at New Delhi, beating them 1-0 with Roy Krishna scoring the decisive goal. The Fijian striker will be the focal point of attack for the Juggernauts along with dynamic midfielder Ahmed Jahouh and new signing Hugo Boumous and Indian players Isak Vanlalruatfela, Raynier Fernandes and Jerry Mawihmingthanga.
