Brazil enjoyed a massive crowd support during its 2-1 win over Spain on Saturday. The side was greeted by a sea of yellow and the fact that the local football team in the Indian Super League (ISL), Kerala Blasters’ jersey is also yellow, only added to the cause. Each and every clearance and strike by the side was received by a huge round of cheers and applause.
“We felt really welcomed in Kochi. The crowd was on our side throughout, right since the warm-up and it is very important to have crowd support,” said coach Carlos Amadeu after the match.
READ: FIFA U-17 WC: Brazil trumps Spain in a thrilling encounter
He admitted that his side was put under tremendous pressure after conceding early, but was proud of his side for holding it together and earning a hard-fought victory. “We conceded within five minutes and that was bad for us. Even the senior team players would’ve faced the pressure in such a situation, so you can only imagine how these youth players felt,” he said.
“We went on to become calm and composed and scored two goals, so it’s alright,” he added.
Speaking on his side’s mental strength, the coach said, “Mental strength is extremely important. You need it when you are trailing and also when you are leading. It is absolutely crucial to remain calm and focused,” he opined.
While he conceded that Spain was the better team in the second half and that it played a brilliant game, he showered praise on his side's goalkeeper, Gabriel Brazao for a splendid performance between the posts.
The coach also added that the humid weather was a challenge and that his team would adapt to it.
Need to improve, says Spain’s coach
The Spanish coach, Santi Denia, on the other hand, said his side played good attacking football and was the better of the two teams in the second half. However, he was quick to admit that the side also needed a lot of improvement, especially on the defensive front. “We need to play as a team and improve as a team,” he said.
Just like his Brazilian counterpart, he too found the weather to be very difficult. “We have only been here for four days. We have to adapt to the climate. We are working with our medical staff to improve the team's hydration,” he added.
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