Hyderabad, March 5 Punjab FC will look to secure all three points as they take on Hyderabad FC in their penultimate fixture of the Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25 campaign, which will be played at the GMC Balayogi Athletic Stadium here on Thursday. Head coach Panagiotis Dilmperis believes a lack of quality up front and the pressure on a young squad has led to a difficulty in the execution of their plans.
Punjab’s attacking force will once again be spearheaded by Luka Majcen, the team’s leading scorer with eight goals, supported by the creative duo of Ezequiel Vidal and Filip Mrzljak, along with the dynamic Khaimingthang Lhungdim. Collectively, this quartet has contributed to 23 goals for the Shers this season. On the other hand, the Nizams will rely on the playmaking abilities of Andrei Alba and Ramhlunchhunga and the attacking spark of Allan Paulista as they aim to secure their fifth victory of the season.
With 24 points from 22 matches, Punjab FC currently sits in 10th place, while Hyderabad FC occupies 12th place with 17 points. A victory for Punjab FC would strengthen their position in the standings as they look to end the season on a positive note.
“We haven’t been able to maintain the quality which we had at the start of the season in the final third. I will try to be simple by saying that a lot of times, we have no quality transfer. We transfer the ball in the box, but quality is missing to convert it into goals.
“Sometimes the structure inside the box is wrong. And a lot of times, because we are using a lot of young players, they are approaching the final third with a lot of pressure because they want to score their first goal, and the team wants to win. So every time you work under pressure, the execution of the action is not really accurate, said Dilmperis in a press conference.
Punjab FC enter this match after a narrow 0-1 defeat against FC Goa in their final home game of the season, while Hyderabad FC lost 0-2 to East Bengal FC in their last fixture in Kolkata.
The Shers will take confidence from improvements in defense from the last match to complete a season double over Hyderabad after securing a 2-0 win in their last meeting at home, where Ezequiel Vidal and Filip Mrzljak found the net. Punjab FC has enjoyed a better record against Hyderabad, with two wins and a draw in their head-to-head encounters.
“It's been a long time for us that we haven’t been able to get back-to-back wins in the league, and now we have two last chances to do that. I like the energy of Hyderabad on the pitch while playing. We will have to work harder than them to get the win tomorrow,” he added.
With only two matches left in the season, Punjab FC will be eager to finish strong. A victory in Hyderabad would not only help them climb the standings but also boost their morale heading into the final match of the season. On the other hand, Hyderabad FC will be determined to cause an upset and make the most of their home advantage.
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