AFC Champions League Elite
Nguyen Abou Leygley Minh’s 61st-minute own goal settled a hard-fought encounter as Kashima moved onto six points from two matches, following their opening win over Newcastle Jets FC.
#ACLElite | Cong An Ha Noi FC (VIE) 0-1 Kashima Antlers (JPN)
While acknowledging room for improvement, head coach Oniki was pleased with how his players weathered the hosts’ pressure, with goalkeeper Tomoki Hayakawa playing a key role.
“I knew this would be a very difficult away game. Ideally, we would have moved the ball towards their goal a little more smoothly, but I knew this kind of game was possible,” said Oniki.
“With goalkeeper Hayakawa leading the way, we battled patiently and protected that precious one-goal lead. There is still plenty to improve in our performance, but the players worked hard to get the result.”
“I knew this would be a very difficult away game. Ideally, we would have moved the ball towards their goal a little more smoothly, but I knew this kind of game was possible,” said Oniki.
“With goalkeeper Hayakawa leading the way, we battled patiently and protected that precious one-goal lead. There is still plenty to improve in our performance, but the players worked hard to get the result.”
Oniki felt his side could have shown greater confidence in possession against the Vietnamese side’s close marking.
“We were unable to move the ball with confidence. There was some pressure initially, but beyond that there was space, so finding it was important.
“We had spoken about not using the conditions, such as the climate and the pitch, as excuses. Particularly in this environment, we needed to be unafraid of keeping possession.
“They were marking almost man-to-man. We could have done better by working hard, making runs and using the space together.”
“We were unable to move the ball with confidence. There was some pressure initially, but beyond that there was space, so finding it was important.
“We had spoken about not using the conditions, such as the climate and the pitch, as excuses. Particularly in this environment, we needed to be unafraid of keeping possession.
“They were marking almost man-to-man. We could have done better by working hard, making runs and using the space together.”
Cong An Ha Noi head coach Alexandre Polking blamed his side’s inability to maintain composure for their second successive defeat.
“We lacked intensity, concentration and did not keep our composure. In the first half, we played very well, controlled the game, built from the back and created chances. Had we taken those opportunities, things could have been different,” said Polking.
“We lacked intensity, concentration and did not keep our composure. In the first half, we played very well, controlled the game, built from the back and created chances. Had we taken those opportunities, things could have been different,” said Polking.
“Against Gamba, we lost control of the game and understood that we were struggling to cope. But this match was different. I believed we could play well and maintain that performance for the full 90 minutes.
“The players tried, but they lost their composure and inadvertently gave the opposition more confidence.”
“The players tried, but they lost their composure and inadvertently gave the opposition more confidence.”
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