Islambek Ismailov, coach of the Uzbek team Neftchi, confirmed that facing Al-Nasr Saudi Arabia in the AFC Champions League for the Elite gave his team many technical lessons, stressing that the result of one match cannot determine the team’s future, in light of the continuation of the competitions and the presence of local and continental entitlements awaiting it during the coming period.
Ismailov said, during the press conference that followed the confrontation between Al-Nasr and Neftchi: “I thank our players for what they gave during the match. They gave everything they had and fought until the end. The team’s future cannot be judged by one match. We still have many matches ahead of us, and after three days a confrontation awaits us in the local league, and we must shift our focus to the upcoming matches.”
Neftchi's coach explained that the technical staff is keen to review the team's performance on an ongoing basis, regardless of the results of the matches, pointing out that the process of evaluating mistakes is not limited to the matches that the team loses, but even includes the matches during which it achieves victories.
He added: “We review our mistakes after each match, even when we achieve victory, and we deal with each confrontation according to its circumstances and the nature of the opponent, by studying the strengths and weaknesses and choosing the appropriate formation and tactical method that helps us provide the best possible level.”
Ismailov pointed out that facing a team the size of Al-Nasr represents an important opportunity to gain experience and develop performance, saying: “When you face big teams like Al-Nasr, you learn a lot of lessons, and we came away from this match with a number of observations that we need to work on and correct during the next stage. Football is full of surprises, and that is what makes it an exciting game.”
Speaking about the level of the new players and the extent of their harmony with the team, the Neftchi coach revealed the challenges that the technical staff faced in preparing a number of elements that were contracted specifically to participate in the Asian Championship.
He said: “The new contracts posed a big challenge for us. We attracted these players to participate in the AFC Champions League, and they were not able to play in the local league or cup matches, which affected their readiness, especially since some of them stayed away from the atmosphere of official matches for a period ranging between five and six months.”
Ismailov touched on the circumstances that some players went through, explaining that Michel suffered an injury in addition to problems with his former club, while Sassi and Marcos faced difficulties related to physical readiness and adaptation to the group.
He added, "Despite these circumstances, the players performed well and gave their all on the field. I am satisfied with the level of harmony they have reached with the rest of the team, and we look forward to their level improving further as they continue to participate in the matches."
The Neftchi coach concluded his speech by emphasizing the importance of benefiting from the Asian experience, working to address mistakes and raising the level of technical and physical readiness, in light of the pressure of matches and the multiple entitlements that await his team during the coming period.
Australian Ange Postecoglou, coach of the Al-Nasr team, confirmed that his team achieved an important victory against Neftchi in the AFC Champions League for the Elite, praising the fighting spirit and high professionalism shown by his players during the confrontation, despite the exceptional circumstances surrounding the match.
Postecoglou said, during the press conference that followed the confrontation: “We achieved an important victory, and the players showed high professionalism and gave a great performance despite the exceptional circumstances surrounding the match, and I am happy with what the team presented and the result we achieved.”
Al-Nasr coach explained that his team presented good levels during the last two matches, noting that the team performance and technical commitment are among the most prominent gains achieved by the technical staff, despite the injury suffered by the player Koeman.
He added: “We played two good matches, and the performance of all the players was outstanding. Unfortunately, Koeman suffered an injury, but I am happy with the performance and the result, and with the way the players dealt with the requirements of the match.”
Regarding the state of anxiety that appeared in him during the course of the match, Postecoglou explained that his great interest in the team and his concern for the players make tension a natural occurrence during the matches, especially in light of the constant desire to achieve the best results.
He said: “My interest in the team and the players made me feel anxious during the course of the match, but in the end I was happy with what the players gave and the performance the team showed.”
The Australian coach touched on the return of player Ayman to participate after a long period of absence due to injury, stressing that the technical staff is dealing with his return to matches with caution, with the aim of ensuring that his physical and technical readiness is gradually restored.
He added: “Ayman was absent for a long time due to injury, and today he participated for 60 minutes and gave an excellent performance, but it is important to bring him back to participate gradually until he regains his full readiness.”
In response to a question about Al-Nasr’s priorities during the current season, Postecoglou stressed that the club’s mentality is based on competition and achieving victories in all tournaments, stressing that the technical staff deals with each match as an independent priority, without early preoccupation with upcoming confrontations.
He said: “As Angelo said, we are victory and our goal is always to win.” Our priority is the next match, and we realize the difficulty of competing in the AFC Champions League for the elite, but our ambition is to win every match we play.”
Al-Ahly Saudi Arabia began a new phase of restoring technical and moral balance under the leadership of its Dutch coach, Marino Pusic, after it succeeded in achieving two successive victories at the local and continental levels, by defeating Al-Fateh with four goals to none in the Saudi Professional League, before confirming its return to the path of victories by defeating Al-Wasl of the Emirates with a score of 3-1 in the AFC Elite Champions League, sending positive messages to its fans after a period that witnessed fluctuation in results and an increase in results. Criticisms directed at the technical staff.
The recent victories were not just results that added points to the team's tally in the two tournaments, but rather carried greater importance given the circumstances that Al-Ahly experienced during the past weeks, especially after losing the Confederations Cup final to Mamelodi Sundowns in South Africa, and the questions that followed about Pusic's future and his ability to return the team to its usual levels.
The broad victory over Al-Fateh in Al-Ahsa constituted an important turning point, after Al-Ahly played one of its most prominent offensive matches this season, before moving to Dubai and achieving an away victory over Al-Wasl, confirming that the improvement was not limited to one confrontation, and that the team possesses the technical and human capabilities that enable it to return to the competition.
In the match against Al-Wasl, Al-Ahly took the lead through its Brazilian defender Roger Ibanez in the twentieth minute, before the Emirati team equalized through Pedro Malheiro in stoppage time of the first half. But Al-Ahly regained its advantage in the second half with a goal by Portuguese Francisco Trincao in the 57th minute, before Firas Al-Braikan decided the confrontation with the third goal in stoppage time.
The Asian victory reflects an important aspect of the team's character, after it succeeded in surpassing the equalizer and returning to the lead, and it is one of the points that Pusic needs to consolidate during the next stage, especially since Al-Ahly suffered in some of its previous matches from losing focus and being affected by the goals it conceded.
Pusic found himself facing increasing pressure since he took over the technical job, succeeding German Matthias Jaisse, in light of the high level of public aspirations after Al-Ahly’s continental successes, and the desire of its supporters for the team to continue to be a strong competitor for championships.
The Dutch coach's task was not easy, especially with the succession of matches, the multiplicity of competitions, and the changes witnessed in the administrative system, in addition to the criticism that affected some of his technical choices and the basic formations that he relied on in a number of confrontations.
It seemed that the loss of the Confederations Cup final to Sun Downs put the coach in front of one of his most difficult stages since his arrival in Jeddah, as voices calling for a review of the technical work rose, and questions emerged about his ability to manage big matches and deal with the transformations that occur in their course.
However, the last two victories would give Pusic more space to work away from direct pressure, especially after the team showed improvement in offensive effectiveness and the ability to reach the opponents’ goal, with the diversity of names that contributed to scoring goals.
However, judging the coach’s success cannot be related to only two results, but rather to the extent of his ability to maintain this level and turn victories into a continuous series that returns Al-Ahly to the circle of serious competition for titles.
Al-Ahly’s offensive results during the matches between Al-Fateh and Al-Wasl reveal a remarkable development in investing opportunities, after the team scored seven goals in two matches, which is a positive indicator that reflects the increase in effectiveness in front of goal, in addition to the multiplicity of offensive solutions possessed by the technical staff.
Portuguese Francisco Trincao was one of the most prominent names in the two matches, after he scored two goals against Al-Fateh, and added an important goal against Al-Wasl, while Englishman Ivan Toney continued his scoring presence, and Ziad Al-Juhani and Firas Al-Braikan emerged among the scorers.
This diversity gives Pusic wider options in dealing with competitors, especially since relying on more than one player to score relieves pressure on the outright striker, and makes the attacking danger come from different positions.
On the other hand, the defensive side still needs more work, as maintaining a balance between offensive momentum and defensive organization represents one of the most prominent challenges facing the Dutch coach, especially against teams that have the ability to exploit spaces and quick transitions.
On the administrative and moral level, the recent victories seem important in restoring calm to the club, after the last stage witnessed administrative changes, most notably the end of the relationship with former sports director Rui Pedro, in addition to a state of public dissatisfaction with some results and levels.
At this stage, Al-Ahly needs a stable environment that helps the technical staff and players focus on the field, away from the pressures that accompanied previous results.
The return of victories may also contribute to improving the relationship between the team and its fans, especially since Al-Ahly Stadium is waiting to see a team capable of providing a convincing performance, and not just achieving positive results.
The responsibility of experienced players remains great in maintaining a state of focus and discipline, in addition to helping new elements adapt to the requirements of competition in various tournaments.
Attention is now turning to the next confrontation against Al-Nasr, which will be a clearer test of Pusic’s ability to consolidate the technical improvement that appeared in the last two matches.
Al-Ahly, which regained some of its confidence with two successive victories, will be required to show the same character against a competitor who possesses strong offensive elements, which will put the defensive organization, midfield management, and ability to deal with periods of pressure to the test.
Facing Al-Nasr will also give the technical staff an opportunity to measure the extent of the development of harmony between the players, and the success of the adjustments made by the coach during the last period.
Perhaps the most important value of the last two victories is that they restored Al-Ahly’s confidence in its ability to compete, but maintaining these gains requires continued technical work and mental discipline, and not returning to the mistakes that cost the team the loss of points and important matches.
Between the Al-Fateh quartet and the Al-Wasl quartet, Al-Ahly opened a more optimistic page in its season, and gave its Dutch coach a new opportunity to prove his ability to lead the team towards stability.
The most prominent question remains within the Al-Ahly House: Has Pusic succeeded in finding the combination that will return Al-Ahly to the path of championships, or do the two victories represent the beginning of an awakening that still needs confirmation in major confrontations?
