"We have to stay humble and focused" - Ivan Vukomanovic after Kerala Blasters FC's victory over Odisha FC
With goals from both their full-backs, Kerala Blasters FC managed to snap up a 2-0 victory against Odisha FC in the Indian Super League on Wednesday.
Nishu Kumar, who returned to the starting lineup after an extended spell on the sidelines, opened the scoring for KBFC. Five minutes from halftime, veteran right-back Harmanjot Singh Khabra scored his first ISL goal to double the Tuskers' lead.
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After the game, head coach Ivan Vukomanovic said that contributions in the goal-scoring department from his defenders show the quality and versatility his players possess. He also pressed on the fact that mixing things up will be necessary as we head towards the business end of the campaign. The Kerala Blasters FC gaffer said:
"Yeah, it shows the versatility of our team. Let’s say different things that we possess in our team. Players of quality who can be very dangerous from the second line, players that can infiltrate, players that can be dangerous on set pieces. So l think that step by step we are improving in many different ways."
The 44-year-old further added:
"As a coaching staff, we're very glad and happy. Because when you are evolving in such a competition and we are starting to score certain goals, then the opponents will be concentrating on your key players and key moments. Then you have to diversify, you have to try to mix things up, you have to try to find the other solution. So that's what we saw today."
The win has now catapulted Kerala Blasters FC to the top of the league standings with 20 points after 11 games. Ivan Vukomanovic's side are now also unbeaten in 10 games. However, the head coach doesn't want to get too carried away by the numbers.
"We as a team, are coming from far away. And if you look at the statistics from previous seasons, you know, in football, you have to build up step by step, you know that nothing can happen over the night. I will repeat, we have to stay humble, we have to stay focused and concentrated. Because if you look from where we are coming, far away. Last year, we were second from bottom. So we must never announce big roles. We just want to compete."
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"I'm very happy for Nishu Kumar" - Ivan Vukomanovic
Nishu Kumar returned to the starting lineup after spending 10 months recuperating from an injury. Within 28 minutes, the 24-year-old got on the scoresheet with a wonderful right-footed finish from the edge of the box. Lauding the young full-back, Vukomanovic said:
"I'm very happy for Nishu Kumar in his first game to score such a beautiful goal, even coming back after so long period onto the pitch because he was suffering after his injury and with the ISL format he wasn't playing for a long time. I'm so happy for him, I hope that he will continue building up and becoming even stronger and getting back on the level that he deserves even for our Indian national team."
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The Kerala Blasters FC head coach also lauded the immensely experienced Khabra, saying:
"From the other side, Harmanjot Khabra is very dangerous on set pieces. He also scored nice goals, something that we were practicing in our training session. Of course, as a coaching staff, that makes you happy and we are grateful for this win today."