Nicole rues derby defeat, cites wastefulness and hails Fiel for Corinthians | OneFootball

After Corinthians’ 1-0 loss to Palmeiras on the night of last Wednesday (29), in the fifth round of the Paulista Women’s Championship, goalkeeper Nicole spoke at a press conference and assessed the team’s current situation. The keeper highlighted the lack of attacking efficiency, commented on the drop in performance over the course of the match, spoke about the importance of the black-and-white supporters, and looked ahead to the rest of the season.

For Nicole, Corinthians’ main problem in recent matches has been the difficulty in turning created chances into goals. The goalkeeper recalled that the team once again conceded from a set piece, but stressed that the performance was not poor.

“I think what’s missing is scoring goals. Football is all about goals, right? Today we even talked among ourselves that, against Ferroviária, we conceded from a set piece. Today we conceded from a set piece again, and by the finest of margins. I think, in terms of the game, we played well, we just lacked that final touch to put the ball in the net. Maybe if we had taken the chances we had, the story would be different, because I don’t think the performance was bad. But I think that’s what’s missing—we need to find our way back to scoring, take those chances, and kill off the game, because by the smallest details we were knocked out of the Copa do Brasil, and today, by yet another detail, we ended up losing the match.”

Asked about the difference between the two halves, Nicole said Corinthians ended up losing their organization after conceding, which affected the creation of attacking plays.

“I’m not really in the best position to talk about it—I’m a goalkeeper, I’m not up there in the final line. But I think in the second half, from the moment we started trailing, we got a little desperate and started making bad decisions. I think that, in that rush to equalize and get the result, we ended up making hasty decisions. Maybe that’s why we had fewer shots. When you’re behind, you end up getting a bit disorganized—I think that happens in football in general. So maybe the lower volume came from that anxiety, that desperation. We made a lot of rushed decisions in the final third.”

The goalkeeper also spoke about the run of derby matches played away from home and said the support of Corinthians fans makes a difference for the team, although it should not be used as an excuse for the results.

“It makes a huge difference. We know how important the Corinthians fans are when they support us in matches. I think there was a small crowd today, and it becomes a different kind of match when there are few people and when we’re away from our environment. When the fans are there, we feel much more comfortable. It’s not an excuse, but having the supporters makes all the difference. These last four matches were away from home, and I do think that matters. But it’s not an excuse for us not to win games or not to win the way we should. The Fiel has always made a difference. In the final stages of every competition, playing at a packed Neo Química Arena or with Fazendinha full changes the whole atmosphere. We joke that they’re a twelfth player, because they push the team, we feed off their energy, we feel that vibe, and in the end, it makes a difference.”

Asked about the team’s recent record at Arena Barueri, Nicole ruled out any kind of “ghost” related to the stadium and stressed that the determining factor is the quality of the opponents.

“I think the venue says very little about whether you win or not. There’s no reason to create a bogeyman just because it’s here. I don’t think that exists—there’s no mystique around it. Playing away derbies is always difficult, just as it was difficult when we faced Ferroviária or when we played at Allianz Parque. We do talk about the fact that it’s been a few matches since we last won here, but there isn’t one specific reason. These are tough games, derbies, and that can happen. I think we just have to get back to winning, that’s all.”

With the result, Corinthians missed the chance to temporarily take over the top spot in the Paulista Championship. Nicole acknowledged the importance of the team’s place in the table, especially because of the possibility of advancing directly to the semifinals, but reinforced her confidence in the work being done by the squad.

“We knew how important this match was. With such a tight schedule like the one we have, playing fewer matches before the semifinal is very important. We’re fighting for that position precisely because of the physical wear and everything that comes with the rest of the season. But we have to keep working. Like I said, we lost the last two matches on details. Very small details. We got blocked on a set piece and conceded the goal. I think those are things that can be adjusted easily. We have to take that as a lesson. There were two blocks, both against Ferroviária and now. It’s about learning from mistakes and continuing to work. The work doesn’t change. We always work to win, and there’s no magic formula from here on out.”

Nicole revealed that the coaching staff has already begun preparing for a team that also tends to make heavy use of set-piece plays.

“It’s even funny talking about this, because set pieces are what Emily works on with us the most. We even joke with her that she’s crazy about set pieces. So, like I said, it’s about continuing the work. Maybe trying to find what can be done differently in those details where we conceded, because every set-piece system has its strengths and weaknesses. It’s about knowing how to deal with those weak points in the best way possible. We work on this a lot every day, trying to improve every detail, so the work stays the same with Flamengo in mind.”

Next Monday (3), the Brabas return to the pitch to face Flamengo at 6:30 p.m. (Brasília time) at Estádio Luso Brasileiro, in the 14th round of the Brazilian Women’s Championship.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.