Punjab FC Head Coach Panagiotis: Currently going through impressive form, Punjab FC will look to secure their second consecutive victory when they face Sporting Club Delhi in the Northern derby at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi on Saturday.
Punjab FC have been in great form, remaining unbeaten in six out of their seven previous fixtures, and are currently in seventh in the standings with 14 points from eight matches. The Shers have two matches in hand, on most of the teams above them, and a win on Saturday will see them climb up the standings and close the gap on the top teams.
The Shers bounced back from a loss to Mohun Bagan Super Giant in Kolkata to breeze past league debutants Inter Kashi 3-0 in their last fixture in New Delhi with the help of goals from Samir Zeljković, Nsungusi Effiong, and Bede Osuji, for their fourth win of the season.
On the other hand, Sporting Club Delhi come into the fixture on the back of a 2-2 draw against last-placed Mohammedan SC on Sunday in New Delhi. After a slow start to the season, the team have picked up pace and have lost only once in the last five fixtures, with two wins and two draws. They currently have nine points from nine matches.
Speaking ahead of the match, Punjab FC Head Coach Panagiotis Dilmperis said, "After eight games, our performance is getting better and better, and I am satisfied with the team. The point that we try to improve are the individual mistakes. Young players losing concentration, or sometimes they are feeling very, very comfortable, are making mistakes. If we keep ourselves humble, then it's going to give us more concentration and a better performance.”
The attack of Punjab FC, led by Effiong, Dani Ramirez, Osuji, and Manglenthang Kipgen, have been in terrific form with Effiong netting seven goals, the third highest in the league. Ramirez has three to his name, while Zeljković and Osuji score two each. Ramirez, Zeljković, and Kipgen have two assists each to their name.
On the defensive end, the pair of Bijoy Varghese and Pramveer Singh have been solid at the back with Ricky Shabong providing defensive cover ahead of them. Ricky is leading the defensive charts in the table with the most interceptions, tackles, and recoveries for any player in the league.
Forward Bede Amarachi Osuji also said, “I didn't expect the level of professionalism from the clubs, especially from Punjab. Because we are all doing everything in detail about the training and the measurement of your body fat. These are the things that I never expected. It came as a surprise to me. The mood has been the same since the day when we played Jamshedpur. We all want to do more. We all want to be better than we were when we played Inter Kashi. And we want to carry it to the end of the season, especially now, this crucial part.”
On the defensive end, the pair of Bijoy Varghese and Pramveer Singh have been solid at the back with Ricky Shabong providing defensive cover ahead of them. Ricky is leading the defensive charts in the table with the most interceptions, tackles, and recoveries for any player in the league.
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With the first-ever Northern Derby, Punjab FC will look to maintain their upward climb in the table and continue the pressure on the teams above them. In contrast, Sporting Club Delhi will look to claim a stake in the derby with a good outing in the national capital.