A Roy Krishna hat-trick propelled ATK FC to a 3-1 win over Odisha FC at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata on Saturday. The win not only guaranteed the Kolkata-based side's spot in the Hero Indian Super League (Hero ISL) 2019-20 semi-finals but also sent them back at the top of the league table.

At the post-match press conference, head coach Antonio Lopez Habas gave his opinion on the win and said, “I think that today ATK controlled the rhythm of the match. We chose very well when to attack and when to defend. Odisha, according to me, is the best team which plays football in the Hero ISL this season.”

The win took ATK back to the top and sealed their qualification in the semi-finals. Habas, however, downplayed the importance of the victory, and stated, “My next objective is to play against Chennaiyin. If we win against Chennaiyin, then the next objective is Bengaluru. More important than getting the top spot is to win the next match. I don’t have to think about the future. Chennaiyin have good momentum and they will be very difficult opponents.”

Emphasizing his special bond with ATK, a club which he now has led to three Hero ISL semi-finals, he noted, “My relationship with ATK is a love story. Three seasons and three times we qualified for the semis. It’s fantastic for me and for the club. Now, we have to fight to become a big club. It’s never easy, no season is ever easy.”

On the solitary goal conceded by his side, he said, “When a team is winning three nil, sometimes the team lacks concentration. We need to learn how to control that.”

Read the Match Report here.