Punjab FC Tops ISL Table Despite Coach's Call for Improvement

Punjab FC's head coach, Panagiotis Dilmperis, highlighted areas for improvement despite their 2-0 win over Hyderabad FC in the Indian Super League. Goals from Pulga Vidal and Filip Mrzljak secured their third consecutive win, pushing them to the top of the table. Dilmperis emphasized the need for fresher players and better performance.

Punjab FC's head coach, Panagiotis Dilmperis, expressed that his team's performance could have been more robust despite their 2-0 victory over Hyderabad FC in the Indian Super League (ISL). Goals by Pulga Vidal and Filip Mrzljak in each half propelled Punjab FC to their third consecutive win on Wednesday, placing them at the top of the table. This victory also named Dilmperis the second coach in the league, after Clifford Miranda, to achieve a perfect win record in their first three matches.

Dilmperis disclosed that his players' recent schedule resulted in a lack of freshness, affecting their performance. 'Today's performance is not what I expect from my players. They tried hard, but we are missing some freshness due to continuous games with the same eleven players starting. However, it's crucial that we were humble and respectful towards the opponents,' he remarked during the post-match press conference.

'Our problem in the first half was slow actions, which made it difficult to open up distances and find middle spaces. Nevertheless, we managed to unlock the opposition with the foul on Vidal and subsequently controlled the situation. The second half saw us mostly defending for the first eight minutes, but substitutions helped generate more chances, although we should have scored more,' Dilmperis explained. Despite Hyderabad FC enjoying more possession, they posed minimal threats, making keeper Ravi Kumar perform only one save. Punjab FC, however, recorded seven attempts and had better scoring opportunities.

This match marked Punjab FC's first clean sheet, with Dilmperis praising his team's solid defense amidst Hyderabad's pressure. 'Hyderabad FC has some great players, especially strikers, creating several problems. Our team's structure prevented them from making clear attempts. They tried various angles, but we remained solid. This defensive effort was key to our victory,' he added. Midfielder Vidal's performance stood out as he scored the opening goal with a brilliant free-kick and was instrumental in creating four significant chances before his substitution. Dilmperis lauded Vidal's talent but noted room for improvement in his defensive positioning to maximize his contributions.

(With inputs from agencies.)