Nepal coach admits the team is still naive

After the 1-3 defeat to the Vietnamese team at Go Dau Stadium on the evening of October 9, Nepal coach Matt Ross admitted that his players were still inexperienced, but was proud of the fighting spirit of the whole team.

Coach Matt Ross of the Nepal team.

“Congratulations to the Vietnamese team for a convincing win. The turning point of the match was the red card, but I am very proud of the players. When we were behind, we were able to equalize 1-1. That shows they reacted positively in a difficult situation and played with great enthusiasm,” Mr. Matt Ross began his post-match speech.

The Australian coach highly appreciated the quality of the Vietnamese team: "They played really well, from the goalkeeper to the striker. It is a strong and well-organized team. We will have four days to prepare for the next match and must learn many valuable lessons from this match."

The match between Vietnam and Nepal was a one-sided affair. The home team took an early lead through Tien Linh, before Nepal surprisingly equalised. However, Limbu's red card at the end of the first half put the South Asian representatives in a difficult position. Despite being down to 10 men, Nepal still defended strongly throughout most of the second half, before conceding two more goals from Xuan Manh and Van Vi.

Coach Matt Ross said his team showed commendable spirit in the face of adversity. “If we hadn’t defended well, we could have conceded six goals. Playing with 10 men for 50 minutes is not easy. The team was able to stop many of Vietnam’s attacks, they mainly had to attack from the flanks,” he said.

When asked about the chances of improving results in the next match, Mr. Ross was frank about the team's weaknesses.

“We were naive at some points. For example, the situation that led to the red card — the player was still eager to dribble. Tactically, I am satisfied with the team, but we need to learn deeply, especially in set-piece situations. I believe that if we had enough players, Nepal could play more fairly. The young players need to accumulate more experience to mature,” he said.

In addition to his expertise, Coach Matt Ross also impressed the press conference with his elegant style in a dark suit. He said that dressing neatly is a way to show respect: "I chose this style because I and the whole team are representing the country. I want to show professionalism and respect for everyone."

The Australian coach also revealed that he has a habit of taking detailed notes before, during and after each match to serve the analysis work. “I always want to understand my team and opponents, to help the players improve every day,” he shared.

Despite leaving the field empty-handed, the Nepalese team still received praise from the audience for their brave fighting spirit. For coach Matt Ross, this defeat was a valuable lesson on the journey to build a young and ambitious team.

Source: https://znews.vn/hlv-nepal-thua-nhan-toan-doi-van-con-ngay-tho-post1592224.html