ISL 2024-25: Kerala Blasters Coach Mikael Stahre Unhappy With How Players Handled Closing Minutes in Punjab FC Defeat

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Kerala Blasters coach Mikael Stahre expressed his dissatisfaction with his team's performance, particularly in the final minutes of their 1-2 defeat to Punjab FC in the ISL 2024-25 opener at Kochi.

Speaking to the media after the match, Stahre criticised his players for their inability to maintain composure after equalising in stoppage time, allowing Punjab FC to score a late winner.

Reflecting on the match while speaking to official broadcasters JioCinema, Stahre acknowledged his team's poor start: "We were bad in the first half but came out in the second half a little bit better and controlled the game and had a grip of the game but hardly created anything special."

He added that while the team improved after making two substitutions early in the second half, they still struggled to create meaningful chances: "We lost the ball too many times and kept the ball too far from the opposition post."

Stahre was particularly critical of how his team handled Punjab's attacking threats, despite improving in possession: "I think we were conquering the ball higher up and committed ourselves really well as we managed to go up in shape," he said, reflecting on the team's higher pressing in the second half. However, the match turned when Kerala conceded a penalty late in the game, allowing Luka Majcen to put Punjab FC ahead: "Out of the blue, we conceded a penalty, which was a right call by the referee."

Despite Kerala Blasters equalising in injury time through Jesus Jimenez, Stahre was visibly upset by his team's collapse in the final moments. Rahul KP made elbowed Luka Majcen late in the match as the players on both sides broke into a melee while things unsettled. Rahul was lucky to escape a yellow card.

"We responded well and equalised in the extra time, but we absolutely lost it from there. You can't lose your cool under pressure," he remarked, expressing disappointment with how his players let their focus slip at a critical juncture in the game.

The coach's frustrations were evident as he concluded: "I'm really, really disappointed with how we handled the last minutes." He stressed that losing composure in crucial moments is not acceptable if the team aims to compete for the top positions in the league. Stahre will now look to regroup his players and ensure they improve in upcoming fixtures against East Bengal on September 22 at home again.