Moreirense coach Vasco Botelho da Costa lauded his team’s “fantastic” performance and tactical execution despite a narrow 2-1 defeat to Sp. Braga, focusing on player development and future victories.
Botelho da Costa, who declared he is “not a fan of moral victories,” stated he felt compelled to offer “moral” support to his players after their away match. He highlighted the team’s aggressive pressing, which he claimed forced Sp. Braga to shoot “countless balls wide.”
The coach noted that Sp. Braga had “trivialized” league leaders FC Porto just last week. He said this made Moreirense’s tactical performance particularly impressive.
He attributed the loss to “two mistakes” made by his own team, which Sp. Braga capitalized on. Botelho da Costa stressed the necessity of committing “zero errors” to maintain a clean sheet.
Despite the result, he expressed confidence that consistently playing with “this competence” would lead to more wins for Moreirense.
Botelho da Costa specifically praised his team’s “incredible level” of ball distribution and entries into the penalty area. He observed that Sp. Braga was forced to “change their system” and “lower their lines” to protect their goal.
He acknowledged that his squad “lost legs in the second half,” which impacted their game fluidity. However, he insisted this was not the core issue behind the loss.
Describing it as an “ungrateful day” that was “hard to accept,” the coach emphasized the team needed to be “practically perfect.” He concluded that they “were very, very good” in their effort.
Addressing a penalty committed by player Travassos, Botelho da Costa framed it as a “mistake” and an “opportunity for learning.” He believes Travassos will manage similar situations “more intelligently in the future.”
The coach emphasized that players must learn from their errors rather than assigning blame. They should “look at the play and grow.”