It was a big night for Santa Clara, winning 3-0 in Northern Ireland. They beat Larne, taking a huge step toward the Conference League playoffs. Yet, head coach Vasco Matos kept his feet on the ground. He warned everyone after the match: nothing is decided yet. The second game needs the same serious approach.
Matos spoke about his team’s performance. “We started the game really well,” he said. “The first half went exactly as we planned and practiced. We were very focused. Our game plan worked perfectly.” He highlighted their skill with the ball. They found the spaces they wanted. They drew out the opposing players. This opened up room to attack Larne’s defense. “We were very effective there,” Matos added. Santa Clara went into halftime with a strong 3-0 lead.
Even with the big lead, Santa Clara didn’t let up. “In the second half, we kept moving the ball and creating chances,” Matos explained. “I actually think we could have scored one or two more goals.” He admitted the result was very positive. However, he stressed the job wasn’t finished. “The tie still has another game. We must approach it with great seriousness. We cannot relax.”
Matos also discussed managing the game after building a 3-0 lead. “After getting to 3-0, we obviously need to know how to manage things,” he said. He showed full trust in his team. “We believe in all our players. The players who came on showed a great response. They are ready for the next challenges.” For Matos, every player matters. “We count on everyone,” he stated simply. “This is the path for us. We built this squad with that idea in mind. We have a lot of faith in our work.”
