Coach Kovačević and Zajc: We are better, we believe we will show it in Zagreb
After the match
Clearly our goal was to win, I think we started the match well, in those first 15 minutes, but after that some things that Thun does well came to the fore, their long balls, highlighted Dinamo's coach Mario Kovačević after the away draw against Swiss champions Thun, 1:1, in the first leg of the Champions League second qualifying round.
– We didn't react well to the second balls, there were many interruptions, we didn't defend them well, that's how we conceded the goal. We had good scoring opportunities, but we were restless in the final third. It wasn't good, we're aware of that. At halftime we agreed that we had to do better, we pressed, but it's difficult, they immediately sent long balls to their forwards. We had to run better. I think in that second half we were much better at that. We said that in the attacking phase we must be calmer. From the start of the second half we were more concrete, but there were many situations we should have finished with a shot on goal. If we had scored the equalizing goal earlier, I think we would have managed to completely turn the result around. But well, how the match unfolded, in the end we have to be satisfied with the draw.
The return leg is next Tuesday in Zagreb and there, we assume, it will be a completely different match.
– A victory takes us to the next round, that's our wish and we'll do everything to achieve it. We knew that Thun has quality, otherwise they wouldn't be champions of their country. The Swiss league is serious. But as I say, when we were more concrete in the second half, when we started running faster, we created quite a few chances, the home team cleared the ball from their goal line twice. Luck served us in the end, I think we truly deserved at least that draw if not more. Now we've also gotten to know our opponent in detail, it was difficult to prepare because they changed their team quite a bit compared to last season. I believe that in front of our crowd we'll be better, we have nothing to think about except to go for a goal from the first minute. I think we are better, but that needs to be shown on the pitch, everything is up to us, I believe we will win and advance – concluded coach Kovačević.
The scorer of the equalizing goal, Miha Zajc, thinks similarly.
– In the end we have to be satisfied, we know we can and must do better, especially when we look at that first half. In the first 15 minutes or so we were a bit slow to get going, we knew it wouldn't be easy, they are an awkward team. In the second half we were much better, we had chances, it's a shame we didn't score earlier because everything would have been different. We have the match in Zagreb coming up where we'll be much better both because of the conditions and because of our fans – emphasized Zajc.
