After the stalemate against neighbours Cercle, we asked captain Vanaken and coach Deila for a quick reaction.
Hans Vanaken: “The better team did not win”
Another draw in the Bruges City Derby, a result skipper Hans Vanaken clearly could not come to terms with.
“I reckon the better team did not win here today, so it's fair to say we are left disheartened. Things were in balance in the first half, but we started putting more pressure in the second half, and we had the best chances to finish them off. Bring a bit more efficiency to the table, and a lot more was surely in it, but you won't find me pointing the finger towards Thiago. He has given us so much already, but today it just didn't work out for our Brazilian up front. Furthermore, the goal we conceded came way too easy. You just can't let an opponent cross the entire pitch like that. You just have to make a professional foul, or produce a more sturdy defensive move. But again, that was just about all that was in it for the hosts in the second half."
The closing stages of the regular league come with a number of fiesty fixtures for Club. "It's true that we have lost out on too many points so far, most of the time uncalled for too. This puts is too far from leaders Union, but in the play-offs anything can happen. Four more games await, with clashes against Anderlecht and Genk, but we need to do what it takes to get through the remaining fixtures without suffering too much damage.” (MV)
Ronny Deila: "Plenty of chances to finish it off"
Coach Deila had less trouble coming to terms with the team performance than with the end result.
"Our first half should have been better. We joined them in their play too much. Still, we were in control. Cercle was also capable of putting fine pressure. The second half started out better, with more risk-taking and guts. I really believe we were the better team in that second half. We switched sides perfectly, creating more chances. That goal we conceded, however, should never have come. They had one chance in the entire game. We fought back well, and scored that deserved equaliser. I reckon we had enough chances to kill it off, but it just wasn't to be. It really is this season's leitmotiv." (WD)