Punjab FC head coach Panagiotis Dilmperis reflects on FC Goa defeat, season and future

New Delhi [India], February 28 : Punjab FC head coach Panagiotis Dilmperis expressed his disappointment following the team's 1-0 defeat against FC Goa in the Indian Super League (ISL) at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi on Thursday, the league's official website reported.
The match saw FC Goa hold strong, retaining possession for the majority of the game and keeping their defence strong against Punjab FC's attacking lineup. Carl McHugh scored the only goal of the night, securing all three points at the end of the night.
The head coach expressed sadness over the team's performance, particularly in the first half, where they struggled offensively. However, he noted a marked improvement in the second half, where he feels the team deserved at least one goal.
"There were shots left and right. I think we're watching the same movie again and again. It's hard. I'm sad about it. But I don't know why, players, they try hard. They went up when it was necessary. In the first half, of course, we were not good at attacking. I mean, the ball didn't stay a lot. Reminds me a little bit of the game against East Bengal FC. But in the second half, we deserved to have one goal. We deserved one goal. We have to go on. There are a lot of benefits, I think, for the team, for the future of the team," he said during the post-match press conference.
Dilmperis commended the players for their hard work, discipline, and tactical execution, suggesting that their efforts should not go unrecognised despite the disappointing result.
He stated, "Congratulations (to the players). They're trying hard. You see that they're running like crazy. They try to have discipline. They're creating things. So how can I complain to all these guys who are trying so hard? Tactically, they're good. You hold, go away from your box. And you are bringing the ball easily inside FC Goa's box."
Emphasising the need to maintain a positive outlook for the future, the Punjab FC head coach remained hopeful about the team's prospects and also his future at the club.
"About my future. It's not my decision. The team will make the decision. But I'm always optimistic. There are two reasons. First of all, because I believe in my job. The way the team addresses the issues, most of the time, is good because of good scouting and the good choices that we took. So, if you are not optimistic, you cannot go on. If I'm not optimistic, I have to leave. So I am optimistic for these two reasons," he shared.
Finally, the coach outlined the challenges facing the team, which include failing to convert their chances, defensive lapses that opponents have exploited, and the loss of key players to injuries, which has compounded these issues.
"Progressively, two or three things happened at the same time. The first is that progressively, we got more chances and yet we scored fewer goals. So progressively, we started creating more chances, and we scored fewer goals. On the other hand, the opponents managed to take advantage day by day of our mistakes in the defence. The third thing is that progressively, we started losing players. So progressively, all these things changed negatively against us," he concluded.