There was plenty said from all sides of the story when the final whistle blew after Friday night’s 1-2 loss with Adelaide United.
In a match that was decided by a string of decisive moments, both coaches felt either team could have walked away with all three points.
Melbourne City FC Head Coach John van’t Schip said his side did not take advantage when it had control of the match, letting the Reds work their way back into the contest, but believed his side did show character.
“They definitely showed more strength (than last week),” van’t Schip said.
“Playing a certain way and not getting the rewards every time is hitting the team hard because we work hard and we play a certain way,
“Today I think Adelaide were having problems with us but in the end, we weren’t strong enough and professional enough to get the win.”
Adelaide United Head Coach Josep Gombau agreed with van’t Schip’s sentiment, saying Melbourne City FC pushed his side well.
“We had a lot of difficulties,” Gombau said.
“Melbourne made a very good game and these kind of games, it’s the small details that can decide (the outcome) and today those details came to our side.
“It was difficult for us because they pressed us a lot and we couldn’t (play) the passing (game) and this penalty (decided the game),
“But in the end, the game was very equal, either team could have won.”
The injury to Jonatan Germano early in the first half was arguably a catalyst to the outcome of the match with both van’t Schip and Gombau feeling the early substitution unsettled the home side.
“The injury to Germano also changed things,” van’t Schip said.
“When you have a change and something was working well, the team’s energy changes and unfortunately we couldn’t control that.”
“In the first half they started very strong,” Gombau said.
“After (a while) they physically went down and we controlled more of the game.”
However, van’t Schip called on his side to rally and believe in their philosophy, saying there is plenty of time to turn things around.
“It’s still the beginning, we know we had a poor start, not in playing but in results and that’s what counts.” van’t Schip said.
“We are going to have to work hard, analyse and fight back into the league,
“We have to stick together and the only way that we are going to come out of this situations is by ourselves.”
Melbourne City FC takes on the Brisbane Roar next Saturday night at Suncorp Stadium, kick-off 7:30pm. Watch the game live on SBS from 7:15pm as the Hyundai A-League makes its Saturday night free-to-air debut.
