East Bengal FC head coach Oscar Bruzon lamented the "missed chances" in their 2-1 loss to Odisha FC.

Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], October 23: East Bengal FC head coach Oscar Bruzon expressed his frustration over his team's failure to seize critical opportunities during their 2-1 loss to Odisha FC at Kalinga Stadium in the ongoing Indian Super League season.

Seeking their first points, East Bengal FC started the match with strong intentions but ultimately fell short. Despite creating numerous chances, they struggled to break through Odisha FC's sturdy defense, particularly goalkeeper Amrinder Singh, who effectively thwarted their early efforts.

Odisha FC maintained a threatening presence with counter-attacks. Fijian striker Roy Krishna, making his second start of the season, opened the scoring for the home team in the 22nd minute. East Bengal FC responded well, earning a penalty that Dimitrios Diamantakos converted to level the score before halftime.

In the second half, Odisha FC took control of the match, restricting East Bengal FC's attempts to penetrate their defense. A combination between Ahmed Jahouh and Mourtada Fall resulted in a goal, leading to East Bengal FC's sixth consecutive defeat.

"We played well, creating most of the chances and making it difficult for Odisha FC to connect their players. They struggled to string together three or four passes, often waiting for us to make a mistake for counterattacks," Bruzon stated in the post-match press conference, as quoted by ISL.

"Unfortunately, during one counterattack—a situation we had prepared for—Roy Krishna used his speed to exploit the gap between our left back and center back, resulting in a goal. The game was ours, but it’s disappointing that we missed so many chances. Once they took the lead, it became more challenging for us as they slowed the game down and tried to control the pace," he added.

The Red and Gold Brigade remain at the bottom of the table, still seeking their first points after six matches, which marks the joint-worst start in ISL history, equaling NorthEast United FC's (2022-23) record of losing their first six games. NEUFC ultimately lost their first ten matches.

Looking ahead, East Bengal FC will shift their focus to the AFC Challenge League, traveling to Bhutan for group-stage matches, providing them with a brief respite before returning to ISL action against Mohammedan SC on November 9.

"The break will be beneficial for the team to adapt to the new coach's ideas, but I wanted results sooner. We have played six games with zero points, and it's already a quarter of the ISL season," Bruzon said.

"The only way to qualify for the playoffs is by finishing in the top six, which likely requires winning ten games. Given the 18-game season, we're in a countdown, and it has just begun," Bruzon reflected.

He called on fans to remain united during this tough period, saying, "Believe in our team. We will come back, and I’m not talking about next season or the second window. We aim to turn things around soon, so please support us as we strive to improve."