Iván Delfino, blunt after Colón loss: «Doubt and 45 mins won't do» | OneFootball

After the away defeat to Deportivo Morón, Colón de Santa Fe head coach Iván Delfino appeared at the press conference with a self-critical but firm assessment. The Santa Fe side suffered its second consecutive setback in a match marked by five fateful minutes in the first half that shaped the course of the game.

“The match was at a standstill in the first half and they scored two goals on us in five minutes. Two goals that, talking with the players, we basically scored on ourselves.”

Match analysis: a first half given away and a reaction after the break

Delfino stressed the lack of solidity in the opening stretch, where the team was undone by mistakes and hesitation in 50-50 balls. According to the coach, Colón is a team that struggles to bounce back quickly once it takes a blow on the scoreboard.

“We let doubt take over, and that’s impossible in a match like this. We lost a lot of 50-50 balls in the first half. Then, wounded and having given away 45 minutes, we went after it in the second half, but it wasn’t enough,” the coach explained.

In the second half, the manager highlighted the team’s improvement and the effort made to close the gap: “I think the second half was all ours. We had the chance to equalize, we created a very clear opportunity and put in all the effort, but we came away empty-handed in a match that was extremely important for us.”

Searching for tactical solutions and the final stretch

Asked about the substitutions made during the match and the team’s structure, Delfino explained what he was trying to do:

“I looked for better distribution and more presence in midfield, and more depth out wide. But if you don’t have circulation, it’s no use at all. The nerves of trying to chase the game with long balls worked against us.”

As for the team’s form and the drop-off in recent matches, the coach chose not to make excuses related to previous squads or lack of time working together: “While there are differences with other squads that have been working together for years, I’m not using that as an excuse. We have to strengthen our way of playing, stay calmer, and show our character to carry out what we practice during the week.”

Injuries and Sarmiento’s return

Regarding the squad’s physical condition, Delfino confirmed knee issues for two players after contesting 50-50 balls, noting that Nacho will undergo the relevant medical tests.

He also referred to Brian Sarmiento’s return: “He was obviously short on match fitness, but he’s a player who can give us a very important pause. We hope to get him fully fit as quickly as possible.”

“We’ll take it one game at a time”

To close, the Sabalero coach delivered a message focused on daily work to face the decisive rounds of the championship:

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