India Sports Tribune

MARGAO, INDIA: Punjab FC, who had broken barriers by making it to the semifinals of the ongoing AIFF Super Cup, saw their dream crash when East Bengal defeated them 1-3 in Margao on Thursday, December 8. The Shers created plenty of chances in the first half, but apart from a penalty from Daniel Ramirez, they were unable to disturb the Torchbearers.

Midfielder Nikhil Prabhu, who skippered Punjab, was one of the few who impressed. At the outset, he was given the task of using his physical capacity to the fullest and operating in a box-to-box role. Although they had three central defenders, Prabhu lent support with his positioning, especially when Punjab were without the ball.

The 25-year-old did not shy away from sending the odd weighted pass through to the final third, given that playing between the lines has become a speciality of his. Nonetheless, it was his defensive contributions that helped Punjab the most, and prevented it from being a complete massacre at the hands of East Bengal.

Speaking exclusively to the Tribune after the match, Prabhu cut a distraught figure and seemed dejected with the loss.

“This defeat was very disheartening. We had trained hard for this and prepared for every challenge that East Bengal would send our way. In the first half, we were able to create quite a few chances, but conversion took time. We pressed high and tried to dispossess them in the centre [of the park]. I also thought that our midfield operated well when it came to marking,” said Prabhu.

This was, incidentally, the first time that Punjab conceded in this edition of the Super Cup. Their campaign, before the semifinals, was impeccable, with three wins in three matches. They kept a clean sheet in all of them, ending the group stage with a goal difference of six. Quite naturally, it hurt everyone in their defensive set-up, of which Prabhu was the talisman.

Punjab’s change in formation in the second half added to Prabhu’s workload

Punjab started the game with a three-man backline, but chasing it in the second half, coach Panagiotis Dilmperis shuffled the pack and asked his wards to play with a 4-2-3-1 formation. This was when Prabhu’s role became all the more critical, since he was to become the sole link between his team’s midfield and defence.

Midfielders Vinit Rai and Ricky Shabong had started the game alongside him, but the former was taken off by Dilmperis at half-time, and the latter was asked to ply his trade at right-back. This forced Prabhu to helm Punjab’s midfield, and it was to his great credit that he did this without a fuss.

Prabhu’s work-rate remained as impressive as ever, and although he picked up a yellow card in the 59th minute for a late challenge, his tactical awareness allowed him to stay on his feet till the final whistle. Creativity remained a bone of contention for Punjab, especially since they focused a lot more on being aggressive in the centre of the field.

“The most important thing, for me, was to help our defenders keep a clean sheet. So, I am disappointed that I could not do that. Our plan was to play with a 4-2-3-1 formation in the second half, and hence, my position became crucial. While the work-rate was there, perhaps I could have been sharper in cutting a few passes off. Ultimately, it is a defeat that stings a lot, since we had done well in the Super Cup,” he elaborated.

Punjab may have been knocked out of the tournament, but Prabhu’s impressive showing was one of the many positives they will take out of it. His star is on the ascendancy, and in May earlier this year, he was called up to the national team by then-head coach Manolo Marquez. Prabhu has made 8 appearances for the country so far.

While spots in the national set-up, especially for midfielders, are filled to the brim with cut-throat competition, Prabhu’s rise in esteem holds him in good standing. The Mumbaikar knows that it is just the start of the ride, and that to etch out a long career for the Blue Tigers, he will have to continue working hard and winning games for Punjab.

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