Jamshedpur FC

Jamshedpur FC incurred their first defeat of Indian Super League 2019-20 in Kolkata tonight. With the score line reading 3-1 at the end of the 90 minutes played at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan tonight, it was Antonio Lopez Habas’ men who found their way on the top of the points table following their win.

ATK skipper, Roy Krishna, converted two penalties while super sub, Edu Garcia, sealed the deal with a fine finish for the home team. Sergio Castel scored Jamshedpur's only goal from the penalty spot, which palpably was not enough to secure any points from the fixture.

Addressing the media at the post-match press conference, Jamshedpur FC head coach, Antonio Iriondo, acknowledged the fact that ATK were the more superior side on the pitch tonight; however, expressed his hesitations about one of the penalty calls that went in favour of the home side. “They played better than us, but we should not concede penalties that are not penalties. My players told me that only one of them was a penalty,” the head coach said.

The Jamshedpur boss also confessed that ATK was the ‘most difficult’ encounter his team have faced in the 2019-20 season, so far. He said, “Among all the teams that we have played, ATK have been the most difficult, obviously because we lost. They have a very good team and very good players.”

The Indian Super League will now witness a brief hiatus for the international break. Coach Antonio believes the breather may be exactly what his team requires to recuperate from the loss tonight, to bounce back stronger, and find their momentum. “We have to improve almost everything. We are a new team with new players and a new style. We hope that with time and hard work we will keep improving and we will get better than this week,” the Spaniard expressed.

On being forced to replace his midfield wizard, Piti, in the opening half of the match due to an injury, Iriondo addressed the media’s concern and said, “We haven’t confirmed with the medical team yet but it seems like he has a tear in his muscle. So, at least 21 days till his recovery. But we need to confirm with the medical team after tests.”

The rain did not seem to be a concern for the Jamshedpur FC coach tonight. On being asked about if the weather conditions were to blame for his team’s performance in Kolkata tonight, Antonio said, “The rain falls for everyone, so it makes no difference. The pitch was amazing. It has great drainage, with so much water it was in good condition. Not only the pitch but the whole stadium is one of the best in the world.”

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