In the fierce competition of the 1/8th final of the AFC Cup, Shenzhen New Pengcheng team finally lost 3-5 to Shanghai Shenhua in the penalty shootout after 120 minutes of fierce battle, and did not have the chance to advance. After the match, Shenzhen head coach Jesus Tato attended a press conference to give an in-depth review of the match and look ahead to the team's future.
Tato began with an overall assessment of the game: "Today was indeed a tough game, we faced a strong opponent, but we were not without chances. Although we were not able to win the game, I am very satisfied with the performance of the players. They showed our technical and tactical readiness and determination to win on the field, which shows me that the team is on the right path. I strongly believe that every day will get better if we keep this momentum going."
Talking about Nguyen Duong's missed penalty in the penalty shootout, Tato showed tolerance and understanding: "I personally don't have much to say about Nguyen Duong's penalty kick. He took the initiative to take the responsibility and this courage deserves respect from all of us. Although the result was not satisfactory, in our team we accept and allow such mistakes to happen. Tomorrow, we will give Nguyen Duong a hug and encourage him to move on. I believe he will learn more from this experience and become stronger."
On the impact of the match dragging into a penalty shootout and a long game on the team, Tato said, "Our goal is always to win the game, but soccer matches are always full of variables. We didn't make any special preparations for the extra time and the penalty shootout because such scenarios are difficult to fully simulate in training. At such critical moments, we rely more on the players' self-adjustment and clinical play. They know their state best and are most capable of deciding the direction of the game."
Finally, Tato spoke about how the team will regain their form in the coming days in preparation for the weekend's league games: "This game was definitely a huge drain on the team, especially since we are also facing injuries and suspensions during the league season. But my players did a great job, they showed their tenacity and team spirit. Next, we will work on a recovery plan based on the fitness of the players to ensure they are in the best shape for the weekend. I assure you that the players who will take the field on Sunday will fight as hard as they did today to get the win for the team."
