Margao, Oct 24 Churchill Brothers SC return to the Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here on Sunday looking to steady their ship in the Indian Super League against a Punjab FC side that has shown resilience in the opening two matches, scoring late goals to secure points.
The Red Machines have experienced both ends of the spectrum in their top-flight introduction, following up a historic 2-1 debut victory over Mumbai City FC with a tough 0-4 defeat against defending champions East Bengal FC.
Ahead of the fixture, head coach Dimitris Dimitriou apologised to the home supporters and backed his players to bounce back.
“I would like to give my sincere apologies to our fans, our duty is to come back as soon as possible,” he said.
Despite the defeat and ongoing visa delays for new signings, the coach expects a response.
“The spirit is very high. I think that there is not going to be any other match where we are going to have so many personal mistakes. We are going to see a better team.”
Goan forward Stendly Fernandes echoed the team’s determination to recover, saying, “My goal is simple. It’s to play football, help my team.”
He also urged supporters to continue backing the club after the disappointing result.
Punjab FC, meanwhile, began their campaign with a thrilling 2-1 win over Odisha FC, sealed by Raphael Messi Bouli’s brace, including a stoppage-time goal.
Head coach Pavlos Dermitzakis remains confident in his side’s defensive organisation. In a translation provided by strength and conditioning coach Christos Vorgiatzidis, he said, “We believe a lot in the defensive organisation of our team.”
Punjab’s late goals have also reflected the team’s determination to fight until the final whistle. Dermitzakis highlighted the importance of that mentality, saying, “You show the character and mentality that you refuse to lose.”
However, he cautioned against underestimating Churchill Brothers, noting that the side has good players and could pose problems if Punjab are not tactically focused.
Punjab FC will welcome new signing Mickael Malsa into the squad, while defender Patrick Bahanack continues to recover from a minor injury.
(PTI News)
