I-League: RoundGlass Punjab resume campaign against upbeat Sudeva Delhi

After a break in the previous game week, RoundGlass Punjab FC resumes their season with a clash against Sudeva Delhi FC here at the Kalyani Stadium on Saturday.

Dutch head coach Ed Engelkes has taken charge at RoundGlass Punjab and he welcomed the much-needed eight-day break for his side. "With matches coming so quickly, players need to reset sometimes. So it was important that we had a break. It gives me some extra time with the staff and the players."

Spanish midfielder Joseba Beitia is looking forward to playing under Engelkes. "We've trained well under Ed over the last three days. He gave us new ideas and a new philosophy. Now we have to improve and show our qualities on the pitch."

"We were disappointed after losing the last match. But I think we're playing well. We've had a few days to recover and are ready for the next match," Beitia added.

Engelkes gave his thoughts on their next opponent Sudeva Delhi. "Sudeva are a technical side. It's important to be aware of their strengths. The most important point is to first look at my own team with respect to the opponent. It will be competitive tomorrow."

Sudeva Delhi rallied from 2-0 down at half-time to snatch a 2-2 draw in injury time against Real Kashmir on Tuesday. Coach Mehrajuddin Wadoo was impressed with the second-half performance and is looking forward to putting up a similar showing against RoundGlass Punjab.

"I think we dominated the entire game. Our plan against Real Kashmir didn't work in the first half, so we made some changes at half-time. Both of our goals were scored by substitutes. So there are a lot of positives to take from the game, especially the second half," he said.

Sudeva scored twice in the same match for the first time this season. With Sreyas VG and Seilenthang Lotjem finding the net, that made it six different goalscorers for Sudeva in the campaign, which Wadoo appreciated. "The more goalscorers you have, the better it is for us. It's a good sign for us that everyone is stepping up and scoring when needed."

Wadoo is expecting a tough battle against RoundGlass Punjab despite their opponents' recent dip in form. "RoundGlass Punjab have got great players and a new coach. They lost their last game but that doesn't show what they're about. I'm personally expecting a good contest tomorrow."

( With inputs from ANI )

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