Odisha FC head coach Sergio Lobera admitted that Punjab FC were the better team after his side faced a 2-1 defeat in the Indian Super League (ISL) at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi on Friday.

Nihal Sudeesh and Leon Augustine were on target for the Shers as they registered consecutive wins in their opening games for the first time. Sudeesh netted the opener in the 28th minute, scoring from the edge of the box as the speedy winger found the back of the net with his precise right-footed curler, leaving Amrinder Singh helpless at the near post.

Augustine doubled the lead for the home side with his powerful strike in the second half. However, Odisha FC managed to pull one goal back in the dying minutes of the second half when Hugo Boumous’ attempt was deflected by Punjab FC goalkeeper Ravi Kumar, costing him an own goal.

Significantly, this is the very first time in the ISL that the Sergio Lobera-coached team suffered back-to-back defeats in their opening two matches. Moreover, this is just the second time a Lobera-led side has failed to register a shot on target in an ISL game.

The Spaniard had words of praise for Punjab FC, and he also shared that they deserved to get all three points. 

“A lot of things (went wrong). They (Punjab FC) were better than us. They deserve to win,” he said in the post-match press conference.

“The first half was very disappointing. I think, in the second half, we improved our level of playing. We created our chances but also conceded a lot of our opponent's chances. It's true that we scored a goal, but I think they could score early because we conceded a lot of chances to the opponent team,” he added.

Defeat in Delhi. 💔#PFCOFC pic.twitter.com/dTiyevGffO

— Odisha FC (@OdishaFC) September 20, 2024

The Spanish head coach acknowledged the difficulties that Panagiotis Dilmperis’ men presented against the Kalinga Warriors. Sharing his thoughts on facing another defeat in the league and their overall performance in the two opening matches, Lobera stated,

“It’s a difficult game. I think maybe this is the reality. Maybe we were not so good last season, and it was a miracle what we did. Maybe we’re not so bad now.”

“Now, we’re going to get more value from what we did last season. But, as a coach, obviously, I take my responsibility. I need to work with my team. It’s a way to learn from the mistakes we’re making. These are the first games. We need to improve. But this is my job as a coach,” he continued.

Odisha FC made three substitutions at the beginning of the second half which included the introduction of playmaker Ahmed Jahouh in place of Diego Mauricio. While quizzed whether his decision was based on injury concessions or not, Lobera remarked,

“No, the decision to substitute Diego Mauricio for Ahmed Jahouh in the second half was a tactical decision, not for an injury. It’s true that Jahouh came late in the pre-season, and my feeling is that he is not 100% fit in terms of physical condition. But it was my decision. I thought, with Jahouh in the second half, we improved the level.”

“We can only use four foreign players. I think Diego (Mauricio) did a good first half. I can't ask more from him. We did well in the first half as a team. Jahouh gave us more creativity and led from the back. I think we improve the level in the second half. And it was a tactical decision,” he explained.

Lobera, who is considered one of the most successful coaches in the league, is going through a difficult time with successive defeats and experiencing a rough start in the 2024-25 season. However, the head coach urged his players to work hard to rectify their mistakes to improve their game and get back to their level.

“Finally, this is my work. I need to work with my players and give them confidence. I need to be close to them, especially in difficult situations. I trust in my players; I believe in them 200%,” he asserted.

“We are going to improve. It's so difficult to do worse than we did in the first half,” Lobera signed off.