Kerala Blasters FC head coach Ivan Vukomanovic was delighted with the way his team performed after going down to 10 men in their 2-1 win against the NorthEast United FC in the Indian Super League (ISL) at the Tilak Maidan Stadium in Goa on Friday.
Jorge Pereyra Diaz (62') scored the opener with a strike from close range. Twenty minutes later, Alvaro Vazquez (82') scored an astonishing long-range goal and doubled Kerala Blasters FC's lead. The Highlanders pulled one back through Mohamed Irshad (90+6') but it wasn't enough to mount a comeback.
"I must admit that I'm really pleased because we knew that before this game, that for us, it will be the most difficult game of the season. When you are facing an opponent who actually has nothing to lose and come to play a relaxed game. From our side, where you're facing this moment where you need to win, you must win, you must get those points. And especially with all the things that have happened in the last period with COVID and isolation," said Ivan Vukomanovic in a post-match press conference, as per the ISL website.
"And then in the second half, we responded in a correct way, because we needed to make the difference, we needed to push harder, we need to score the goals to achieve three points. As a coach, I'm very pleased because in difficult circumstances, and especially in our difficult moments, fighting for the top of the table, to be there, to stay there, and to compete till the end, we knew that we had to overcome ourselves today," he added.
Regarding Ayush Adhikari being sent off, the head coach said that the youngster is a great player and must also understand that in these kinds of circumstances he must perform.
"From my side, it doesn't matter. Ayush is a great guy and a great player, with the huge potential to improve even more. And he himself as a young player must understand that in these kinds of circumstances he must perform. I'm very happy with his performance today," said the head coach.
"Even he got two yellow cards, it happens in football, he must continue working hard. I'm sorry for him that he will be suspended for the next game. But you know, that's football, this thing happens. And these kinds of things we call experience. So maybe in the next games in the future, he will not repeat these mistakes. That's how we become better. That's how we improve as a player and as a person," he added.
Kerala Blasters FC moved to the second spot and now have 23 points from 13 games. They are just three points behind table-toppers Hyderabad FC and have a game in hand.
( With inputs from ANI )
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