REFLECTIONS ON THE PERFORMANCE?
“I felt our performance was inconsistent. We had some strong moments, but we also lacked focus at times during both halves—especially after we scored. Once we took the lead, we lost a bit of control over the game when we needed to solidify our defense. We should have capitalized on our initial goal to close things out, as we were in command and aware that we needed to keep the play away from our box. However, we were vulnerable to set-pieces given the team’s height disparities. We were capable of managing it but struggled to retain the ball following our first goal.”
WHAT LED TO THE ISSUES?
“The main issue was our inability to win the second balls after they cleared it. We needed to perform better in those moments—like with Matheus [Cunha] who was advancing with the ball while they were managing to reclaim possession, allowing [Jarrod] Bowen to make runs. This type of game requires tighter control, especially after we scored. We had a great chance through [Matheus] Cunha when we were close to their box, but the quality of our crosses let us down. Sometimes, the players’ attributes don’t align well with finishing from those positions.”
