Pro Kabaddi League 2017 Season 5: "We did not lose our last two games," says UP Yoddha coach after fourth straight defeat

UP Yoddha's Pro Kabaddi Season 5 home leg in Lucknow seems to be pretty unlucky for the team as they slumped to yet another loss, this time against the Bengal Warriors. Four consecutive defeats for the team have put them under immense pressure and in need of a win.

Nitin Tomar, their captain smilingly commented after the match, “Our game is not bad. Players are doing well but if we are losing points, it is something we can’t handle. In the end, the entire game slips out of our hands. It is not about lack of practice. The defense of the team might be weak but they have also been consistently performing well. It is just sheer bad luck that has fallen upon us.”

“Young players in the team are not able to handle all the pressure in the last few minutes of the match and someone or the other ends up making a mistake”, added Nitin. The captain gave his views about Mahesh Goud who has been performing well but not given much of a chance to play. He said, “Mahesh is a good player but right now he needs to sit out more and try understanding the game and the opponent’s strategies. If he stays out, he observes and learns more.”

The UP coach was defiant in defeat and very confidently said, “We have not lost the last two matches, as we were so close in the scores. We have two more matches in Lucknow which we are very confident about winning. We consider this match our win. Our players feel hopeless when they lose, but with such a less difference in scores between teams, they gain their confidence. We have just played nine matches till now and many more are yet to come. The team has plenty of time to prove itself.”

He added, “Our strategies and planning in today’s match were successful. But towards the end, if we could have managed to get Rishank and Nitin’s points, there was no way we would not have won. The team has left no stone unturned, from working hard to planning and strategizing. The raiders are doing well but the defense needs a little attention. It was an unlucky day, not a bad game.”

For the Bengal Warriors, it was their second win over the Yoddha and the team from Kolkata looked relaxed and cheerful. Their captain Surjeet remarked, “Both the teams played very well. All the players in my team have been putting up a great show. The win was by a single point, but in the end all that matters is who won.”

He added, “I was quite tense towards the end as it was a neck-to-neck competition even till the last minute. All I wanted was to get that one extra point to take my side to victory.”