Popovic wants FC Pune City to raise the bar higher

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Mumbai, February 26: FC Pune City who have made it to the semifinals of the Hero Indian Super League (ISL) for the first time since the tournament's inception in 2014 wants to make it count.

Pune suffered their worst home loss -- a 0-4 defeat to FC Goa in their penultimate clash at their home ground in Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex Stadium --, but their impressive performances earlier in the season means they do not have to wait for the final league clash to secure a point for a place in the play-offs.

The fact that Jamshedpur lost to Bengaluru FC made their passage to semis much easier.

They will finish in the top four, regardless of other results, and the achievement of breaking into the top four delighted the club coach Ranko Popovic.

"As a club, this was our first hurdle to clear; to reach the play-offs. The entire team has worked consistently towards the same goal and this spot is a result of the hard work put in by everyone and anyone involved with the club," said Popovic.

Pune are placed second on the ISL points table with 29 points and even if they get stranded on 29 points at the end of the league stage, they will finish among the top four.

There is a possibility that four teams can finish their league engagements with 29 points; if Pune lose against Delhi; Chennai lose against Mumbai, Jamshedpur win against Goa and Mumbai register two consecutive victories in their last two matches.

In the event of teams being tied on points, the head-to-head record between these teams will come into force.

As things stand, Pune will win the head-to-head count among all these teams with 12 points - two wins each against Mumbai City and Jamshedpur FC - while Chennaiyin FC and Jamshedpur FC will also get the nod.

Assuming Goa get the better of ATK and Jamshedpur in their last two matches, they will qualify with 30 points, possibly leaving three teams with 29 points. Even then, Pune will still go through.

Despite entering the semifinals, Popovic wants his team not to take things for granted and instead go for the jugular.

"This isn't the end of our work, rather it's the beginning and we hope to take a step at a time to reach our ultimate goal," concluded Popovic.

Pune face Delhi Dynamos in their concluding league clash on Friday (March 2) without captain Marcelinho and Diego Carlos, both of whom are suspended.

(Source: ISL Media)