We have to be focused, committed: Kerala Blasters FC head coach Ivan Vukomanovic
Jan 23, 2023
Panaji (Goa) [India], January 23 : Kerala Blasters FC head coach Ivan Vukomanovic expressed his disappointment as his team lost 3-1 against FC Goa in the latest fixture of the Indian Super League (ISL) at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, in Goa, on Sunday.
The Gaurs opened the scoring from the penalty spot through Iker Guarrotxena, and Noah Sadaoui made it 2-0 for the home side before half-time. The away side hit back with a Dimitrios Diamantakos goal inside the first six minutes of the second half, but could not build on it as the Gaurs scored their third goal when Redeem Tlang got on the scoresheet. The win took FC Goa into the fifth spot of the ISL standings, while the Blasters stay third with 25 points.
After an impressive unbeaten run in the league, Kerala Blasters FC ended up on the losing side for the second game running. Speaking at the official post-match press conference, Vukomanovic stated the importance of improving on the mistakes and collectively playing the game. He expressed that it was not acceptable to lose two games in a row at the current stage.
"It is football, and we need to accept that there will be suspensions and injuries that we have to deal with. You have to be focused and committed, and the kind of errors in the first half cost us the points, and it is not pleasant to lose two games back-to-back. There are six more games to go, and we have to deal with the situation," Vukomanovic said.
Kerala Blasters FC are in third spot, and they will aim to qualify for the playoffs for a second straight season. Vukomanovic said his team need to prepare well for the upcoming games to make the playoffs and called for consistency.
"We have to be ready for the playoffs and manage the situation. This year we managed to win games both home and away so it is all about the momentum, if you are concentrated and ready to play such kinds of games so it does not matter if we play home or away," stated the head coach of Kerala Blasters FC.
