Punjab FC head coach Staikos Vergetis was happy to bag all three points against Hyderabad FC in the Indian Super League (ISL) at the GMC Balayogi Athletic Stadium, in Hyderabad, on Tuesday.

The Shers were determined to bounce back from their recent defeat to Jamshedpur FC, and they approached the match with that goal in mind.

However, the breakthrough came in the 45th minute when captain Luka Majcen scored with a header from Madih Talal’s cross. Talal further extended the lead in the second half with a powerful shot from distance, securing the final goal of the night.

Head coach Vergetis sheds light on his team’s performance, but he believes they could have delivered more. However, he didn't hesitate to credit the opposition team for limiting their chances in Hyderabad.

“The most important thing for us today was to secure the three points, and we succeeded in taking the three points. After some games, we kept a clean sheet, which is also very important. It was one of our objectives for today (getting the clean sheet),” Vergetis said in the post-match press conference.

“However, our performance was not better than what we displayed in the last couple of games, and this is because Hyderabad FC had a very good defensive organisation," he added.

Vergetis stuck to the same formation against Hyderabad FC and fielded the familiar midfield trio of Nikhil Prabhu, Ricky Sabong, and Sahil Tavora, with Talal playing in a more advanced role alongside Wilmar Gil and Majcen.

Reflecting on the performance of his midfield trio and the new system, the Greek tactician stated, “They’re very good with the ball, and they covered a lot of ground. We made a sacrifice by reducing our midfielder to play with two strikers. This is one system that has provided us with more offensive opportunities, but defensively, it has also cost us many times.”

Talal notched his third goal of the season and also provided an assist, extending his assist count to five. He now leads the assist charts in the league alongside Rafael Crivellaro.

“(Madih) Talal is a high-quality player. It is very good for Indian football to have players like Talal, as they encourage other players to come to India at younger ages,” Vergetis opined.

The French playmaker continued to shine in his role and has showcased his attributes in his new position. He has also created the most chances this season (36).

Vergetis acknowledged that giving Talal the opportunity to make an impact in the attacking third more was one of the reasons to switch to the new formation.

“When he (Talal) receives the ball in the opposition half, he can hurt the opposition with his passing, dribbling, or shooting,” he said.

“One of the reasons we switched to this formation is to give him more liberty and freedom and take advantage of his quality,” Vergetis added.

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Hyderabad FCPunjab FC2023-2024 Madih Talal