|
|
Pumas Give Themselves Fighting Chance
Despite a 1-0 loss to Cruz Azul, Pumas players are confident that they can overcome that deficit in the second leg.
Feb 26, 2009 2:19:27 AM
The strategy worked as Cruz Azul walked away with a 1-0 win. Although it puzzled Pumas players, it was not entirely upsetting.
"I don't know why Cruz Azul sat back and defended since they were playing at home," Pumas forward Juan Carlos Cacho said. "On the one hand, we are happy that they defended because they only have a one-goal lead going back to our place."
Overall, though, Pumas blamed themselves more than their opponents' tactics for their spotty play and the loss. Cruz Azul's goal came off a free kick by Jaime Lozano, and Pumas goalkeeper Odin Patino saved his team from another sure goal some 15 minutes later. It wasn't that the club's overall play that let themselves down, though, just the finishing.
"Looking back at it, we didn't play poorly. We attacked, searched for a goal but just didn't do well in the final third," Cacho said. "However, the deficit is just one goal that can easily be made up."
Pumas used mostly players who have not seen much action during the regular season - Cacho, for instance, has started just one of the six games he's played in and has logged only 146 minutes. But the team's regular-season struggles have been well documented, and Cacho said players need to shake them off quickly."
"These are just some of the types of things we go through and we just have to overcome them as quickly as possible," Cacho said. "We can't become desperate because we aren't even at the midway point in leauge and we still have another game here."
For his part, coach Ricardo "Tuca" Ferreti said nobody is throwing in the towel because of this loss, nor having suffered through an 0-4-1 stretch in league.
"We have one more game left and we need to continue to believe in these players since they were able to get the job done before," Ferreti said. "I know we left ourselves open to criticism and comparisons to how we've lost games in the regular season but regardless of that I have the support from the front office, the players have all of my support and these players deserve another chance."
Goal.com
Inside Goal.Com
-
RIGG: Anelka struggling against the current in Shanghai
Nicolas Anelka went against the grain when he moved to Shanghai. Now he's finding that coaching and gelling tactically is like swimming against the tide.
-
ROGERS: Bradley should command a bidding war among Serie A teams
Chievo is currently shopping the American midfielder and several Italian clubs have shown interest.
-
ISOLA: Neymar-led Brazil should be considered the 2014 WC favorite
Neymar was brilliant as Brazil easily handled the United States with early World Cup preparations officially underway.
-
LATHAM: Mexico using summer friendlies to build depth
With World Cup qualifying to begin in June, Mexico is using three U.S.-hosted friendlies to build squad depth.
-
McCARTHY: Harrisburg springs its wildest Open Cup upset to date
The City Islanders fought back from three goals down with nine minutes to play and won the game on penalty kicks in a stunning game on a wild night for the U.S. Open Cup.