Defensive lapse was the reason for the loss feels Minerva Coach Surinder Singh

A LOT OF EXCITEMENT WAS FILLED AMONG THE SUPPORTERS of Minerva Punjab about their first home game of their debut season in the Hero I-League. The result certainly did not give the home fans a lot to cheer about as they lost the game 5-0. At the post-match conference, Coach of the MPFC team spoke to the press.

Coach Surinder Singh was quizzed what was his assessment of the game and he replied saying,

"It was a defensive lapse caused us to have a bad day. The boys started well but few mistakes in the defensive part and they conceded some early goals that changed the game. They started the second half well and started pressing up high. No doubt East Bengal is a very balanced team. The penalty we conceded was the turning point of the second half."

To a statement made by a reporter saying it was as though we were seeing the match at some other team's home ground, Coach Singh repleid,

"They a got a two-goal lead in the first half and got comfortable. We were trying to catch them. We created some chances and it was a positive sign for us. We need to work on the defensive lapses that happened"

Surinder Singh answered a question to mention the reasons because of which his team was unable to score saying,

"In the first half, our forwards did not press high enough. Only in the second half, we started to pressurise  their defence, made some crosses and had a few shots taken. Had that been done from the first half, EB defence would have had to play more deeper"

If he thought since the goals were being conceded, the team was losing its morale, Surinder replied saying,

"Definitely, when a team concedes a goal, it does puts some pressure on you. Our boys tried to come back in the second half and did not give up"

Coach Surinder was asked to spare a few thoughts about the East Bengal team. He said,

"They are a good team and one of the best in India. A good and balanced side"

Few times when we saw Victor and Anirudh making a few runs, they were looking for support and it was missing. Minerva Coach shed light on this saying,

"Yes we realised the error and made some changes to rectify and in the second half our wingers and midfielders into action and created some chances. Our strikers were not combining well and when they started to, it was too late"

Minerva next play Churchill Brothers FC at home on February 1, 2017. 

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