ISL does not deserve games like this: Goa coach Lobera

Sergio LoberaDistraught over Indian Super Leagues ISL decision to go ahead with a match despite an unprecedented delay FC Goas Spanish head coach Sergio Lobera said after the game that the league does not deserve matches like this In the aftermath of a MiG29K aircraft catching fire after skidding off the runway at Goas Dabolim International Airport on Wednesday morning FC Goa players were left stranded all day before a chartered flight from New Delhi flew them from their base to KolkataAfter several delays the match started at 1045 pm a first in Indian football with the Goa team touching down here at 859 pm and reaching the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan at 942 pm I have never faced such a situation in professional football ISL is a great league and it doesnt deserve matches like today a fuming Lobera told reporters after the tie finished 11 well past midnight on Thursday The circumstances we faced in the last couple of days did not permit us to play this game todayThe only thing I can be content about today is none of my players were injured and there was nothing serious Today was an incredible day I have never seen a team warm up in their travel gear and it is not good for the fans players or the league the 40year old coach added On Wednesday night the team were then seen warming up in sneakers black jackets and shorts as reports of their kit not arriving surfaced Lobera further said that they had nothing to eat at the airport and had nowhere to restYesterday our flight had to make an emergency landing This morning also the same happened Its not good as a spectacle We spent the entire day at the airport with nothing to eat and nowhere to rest And we had to come here running as otherwise we would have lost three points We had to change and come back for the match within five minutes after training he said Talking about the health of the players who were at the airport all day and travelled late to Kolkata and immediately took the field Lobera said they took a great risk and at the end of the day they are not the ones who take decisionsThe health of players is paramount I am grateful no one was injured We took a great risk today We were not the ones the who made the decision whether to go ahead with the game It was the authorities who tell you where to play and when to play I think my players had great mental strength and physically they did well despite the problems We represented the fans and people of Goa with pride todayA Robbie Keane opener was cancelled out by ISLs topscorer Ferran Corominas later in the first half The result was not the only thing that worried Lobera We had a free opportunity in the end and we should have converted What is concerning is the matches we have after this All those matches will get affected I am glad we ended stronger and on another day we could have won he concludedCatch up on all the latest sports news and updates hereDownload the new midday Android and iOS apps to get updates on all the latest and trending stories on the go