Sousa all praise for ‘fantastic’ Bahrain

TDT | Manama                      

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com   

Bahrain head coach Helio Sousa praised the senior men’s national football team for their heroic performance in their 2-1 victory over the UAE on Saturday to kick off their much-awaited title-defence in the 25th Arab Gulf Cup, taking place in Basra, Iraq.

“Our players showed the quality they have and the team that we have been building up for a long time,” Sousa said during his post-game Press conference.

“As I said before the competition, I am very proud of them,” he added.

“Whatever happens, that will not change for sure.”

Sousa admitted that despite claiming the all-important victory, the Bahrainis were rusty over the first quarter-hour of the contest.

The nationals were eventually able to score twice in the second half through Komail Al Aswad in the 60th minute and Jassim Al Shaikh in the 77th, before Sebastian Tagliabue found the net for the Emiratis with a late consolation in the 92nd.

“It was a little bit hard for us in the beginning of the game, maybe because our heads did not let our legs to run,” explained the Portuguese tactician.

“We were more reacting than making it happen, as we are used to do.

“But after that we started to gain confidence, having the ball and managing the ball and creating the build-up necessary to arrive at the goal of Emirates with good conditions to score.

“We had the best opportunities in first half but it did not happen.

We came back with the thoughts to start the second half as we finished the first, and after we went up in the game we had the control, until that situation we gave them at the end.

“I think we were better for most of the game, taking out 15 to 20 minutes.” Sousa stressed that despite posting a “fantastic” beginning to the competition, there is still all to play although Bahrain have taken a big step towards advancing to the semi-finals.

“Everything is still open, but we have taken three steps forward,” Sousa said, pertaining to the three points they won on the Group B standings.

“It is better than how we started the last Gulf Cup, and it is better than a draw or loss. “But still, all things open.

Even after what the next game will give, in these short competitions, after three games, the four teams arrive in the last game, some with difficult situations to pass [through], but still with some options to pass.

“But this is a victory. We accept it and we deserve it. We made a fantastic start to the competition.

“We go to the next game against Qatar preparing for that game and thinking about the game, and trying to go another three steps forward.

It is what we will try to work upon the next two days.”

Sousa added that the national team will be looking to improve on their performance against the UAE when they take on the Qataris tomorrow.

“Next game, we want more; we have to be stronger to control the game,” he said.

“We know it will not be possible to control the 90 minutes, but we must keep strong with a good mentality, understanding what the game is asking from us and what we can deliver in each moment, to come up at the end of the game with a win.”