FUTSAL – BAHRAIN will face another stern challenge when they take on tournament heavyweights Japan today with head coach Marcelino Da Silva hoping that his side can build on the positives from their opening match.
“I’m proud and happy with some of the positives we saw, especially against one of the best teams in Asia,” said Da Silva.
“Japan are a top side and they weren’t easy to play against. After going 3-0 down within 30 seconds of the second half, the team dropped off mentally, but we still managed to create some chances with our more physical players. There were positives to take from that.”
“We’ve been trying to prepare the players mentally because in a tournament like this, it’s crucial to recover mentally after a loss. We’ll study our opponents carefully and do our best in the next match. Japan and Thailand are the top teams in this group.”
Japan head coach Takehiro Suga warned against complacency despite seeing his charges walk away with victory against Indonesia.
“Indonesia were very strong and it was a difficult match. They have a good coach and so I am happy to come away with the win,” said Suga. “We had many chances but we couldn’t score more because their defence was very solid and concentrated (on denying us).
“We need to improve in our attack as well as make some adjustments in defence. Bahrain have a very good head coach and so it will be a tough match as well, so we have to change our mindset to fully focus on the next game and also recover to be in good condition.”
Meanwhile, Indonesia will count on their spirited second-half display against Japan to revive their campaign, with head coach Luis Estrela brimming with optimism.
“It was a game of two halves. In the first half, our players were nervous and lacked aggression,” said Estrela. “While I’m not happy with the result, I’m proud of our second-half performance.
“This is a tough group, and goal difference could be crucial. We scored against Japan, outscored them in the second half and even tactically outplayed them at times.”
“In that second half, we looked like the team we were five months ago – a team with personality, confidence, and quality on the ball. That’s exactly how I want us to play against Thailand.”
Thailand head coach Tanakorn Santanaprasit underlined the importance of recovery ahead of the tie against their Southeast Asian rivals.
“After struggling to find our footing early on, we played much better in the second half and tried to adapt. We showed better agility both on and off the ball, especially in reacting to second balls. The main tactic was built around the counter-attack – something I had planned for this match,” said Tanakorn.
“The team will now focus on recovery to ensure we’re in the best possible physical condition for the next game. It’s going to be a hard, physical contest, so rest and recovery are essential to ensure we perform at our maximum.”
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