In the CONCACAF third and fourth place finals that ended on July 14, Beijing time, Canada defeated Uruguay in a penalty shootout, but the team's performance still left a deep impression on head coach Mahy. After the match, Mahy shared his observations of the team and his outlook for the future at the conference.
Mahi began by recognizing the intelligence and effort of his players, stating, "I learned that they are much smarter than I expected them to be. In the last three games, we set the tone for the pace of the game and showed good athleticism." However, he also pointed out the team's problems on the offensive end of the field, "If we had capitalized on our chances, I think we would have ranked in the top three or four in terms of the number of goals we expected to score in the tournament, but unfortunately, we only had four goals in the tournament."
Mahy has clear ideas on how to improve the team's offensive efficiency: "It's part of the experience. We need to have quality court play, the ability to finish off the offense, and the ability to manage the game at the end of the game. These are the areas we need to focus on next." He emphasized that while the team is controlling the tempo of the game, they must ensure that it translates into actual wins: "When we push forward and control the tempo of the game, it's not only about controlling the game, it's also about making sure that we win the game."
Looking ahead, Mahi is confident in his team, "Considering our performance, although we don't have enough wins at the moment, I believe we are capable of solving this problem. Through continuous efforts and improvements, we will achieve more victories in the coming matches." His words revealed his recognition of the team's potential and his expectations for the future.
