Vojvoda hails display, rues lack of cutting edge in Santos draw | OneFootball

Santos visited Red Bull Bragantino this Sunday in Bragança Paulista, for the 25th round of the Brazilian Championship. The Peixe played better on the field, but ended up with a 2-2 draw. Coach Juan Pablo Vojvoda praised the players’ performance but lamented the number of missed goals.

The team from the coast wasted some chances in the first half and was punished with a goal before halftime. The team, however, came back strong and turned the game around, but conceded the equalizer in the final stretch.

“I think we had a good first half. We created goal chances, lacked effectiveness, but the important thing is that the team has the ambition to go for the three points. We didn’t do well on Bragantino’s first goal. But at halftime, we said we wanted to keep playing the same way. And from that build-up, from a game with ambition, we managed to turn it around with two beautiful goals, two good plays. But we didn’t have the strength to hold on to the result on a tough field. I value the players’ effort, their ability to read the game, and also the winning mentality, to impose on a difficult field the game we trained all week,” said Vojvoda in a press conference after the match.

“I have the same feeling as most of the fans, I think. But football will reward us for these two points in another game if we keep this ambition and focus and if we impose our quality,” he added.

Santos conceded the equalizer from a Bragantino corner kick. The Argentine coach highlighted the defensive error in the play that cost the team the victory.

“But I think we had a good first half, mainly, and the second half was tough for us, because we played with a lot of space behind to try to equalize or turn the game around. We managed to do it, but football also has set pieces and we should have defended better,” he commented.

“First, I have this mentality of wanting to win the game and impose our style on the opponent, who also has quality in possession and physical strength in their players. Imposing yourself against an opponent is something to highlight. Then, I really value this strength to come back and tie the game. I’m left with the feeling of not defending that set piece. I don’t remember another play where the goalkeeper had to intervene in a way that deserves merit. That’s football. We have to accept it and work to improve our effectiveness,” he emphasized.

The Peixe returns to the field this Wednesday, when they host Grêmio at Vila Belmiro, for the 26th round of the Brasileirão. Vojvoda sees progress in the team and is already turning the page for the clash against the club from Rio Grande do Sul.

“Overall, Santos played a good match. I think the team is growing. I value that the players are developing in the game, in their attitude, and in their confidence. That continues, and we have to switch focus to the next match,” he pointed out.

Standings Situation

The Peixe has now gone four games without losing, but still remains in the lower part of the table. The team ends the round in 16th place, with 27 points, five fewer than Juventude, the first team in the relegation zone (Z4).

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