AFC Champions League Elite
Five different players scored inside the opening 30 minutes as the Japanese side secured their first victory of the campaign, leaving Port with two defeats.
#ACLElite | Kashiwa Reysol (JPN) 5-1 Port FC (THA)
“We got off to a great start, scoring several goals in the first 25 to 30 minutes. That allowed us to play calmly, which was important in this match,” said Rodriguez.“We made three substitutions at half-time, partly to give opportunities to players who hadn’t had much playing time and also to rest some players ahead of Saturday’s match against Nagoya.
“In the second half, Port FC switched to a five-man defence, which made it a little difficult for us to adapt. Unfortunately, we couldn’t score any more goals, but the players kept going.
“In particular, the forwards — (Yuki) Kakita and (Hinata) Yamauchi — all performed fantastically. Although we lacked a bit of energy in the second half, the important thing was to get three points, and we can be very proud of the victory.”
Port head coach Bozidar Bandovic admitted his side struggled to cope with Kashiwa’s early pressure, although his side showed promise in the second half.
“We struggled in the opening 20 to 25 minutes, couldn’t keep the ball under pressure and conceded goals that made it difficult to recover,” said Bandovic.
“The second half was better. We made changes, won more second balls, kept possession, scored and created two or three chances. Those are positives we can build on.
“We need to work hard, but playing every three days leaves us little time on the training ground. We have to admit that, at the moment, it is difficult for us to compete with a team like this.”
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