Punjab FC head coach Staikos Vergetis expressed satisfaction with his team's performance after beating Chennaiyin FC to secure their first Indian Super League (ISL) win at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi on Monday.

The match showcased end-to-end action, with both teams creating multiple opportunities from the onset. Madih Talal broke the deadlock in the second half with a remarkable strike, ultimately proving to be the decisive goal.

Despite Chennaiyin FC having several chances to equalise, they were unable to test Punjab FC keeper Kiran Chemjong, with Owen Coyle's side registering zero shots on target and squandering opportunities in front of goal.

Reflecting on the game, Vergetis expressed pride in his team for causing problems for the opposition but acknowledged the missed chances to seal the result earlier.

“We had good offensive actions against a very good team with good players. Fast and quality players. We took advantage of many offensive transitions when we intercepted many balls. We went into offensive transitions in very good conditions,” he stated in the post-match press conference.

“The only negative thing that I have to say is that we had too many chances to secure the result because we were the first to fight until the last second and we never know what happened. We had chances to kill the game earlier,” he further added.

This historic victory marked the first-ever win for Punjab FC in the ISL and ended their 10-game winless streak. The Shers have suffered just one defeat in their previous five games. 

When asked about concerns regarding his team's goal-scoring ability and finishing games, Vergetis acknowledged his players' struggles in front of goal but believes this win will significantly boost their confidence.

“It’s a matter of work (finishing). It's a matter of the quality of the players, their talent, the decisions (they make) at that moment. We have very good players to finish the situations like today. But don’t forget that our players are coming (into the game) after a long period of heavy psychological (pressure) situation from not winning too many games. And this affects our players at that moment. But I believe winning this game will give them extra motivation because they need it. I was very happy to see my players so glad today,” he explained.

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Chennaiyin FCPunjab FC2023-2024