Ferreira: I did not expect this result. we still haven’t reached our peak

Al-Sadd head coach Jesualdo Ferreira expressed a mixture of delight and surprise after his side registered a massive 10-1 derby win over Al-Arabi in the QNB Stars League on Sunday.

Speaking at the post-match press conference, Ferreira said: “I did not expect this result. Nobody did. When we made it 3-1, I was assured of a win. In the second half, we went in with an attacking style and we ended up scoring twice in the opening five minutes. After this, Al-Arabi gave up completely and we were the better team in every way.”

“Until now, we haven’t faced a team that is as strong as us. And so, I cannot say if the team is fit or not. There are teams that are stronger than Al-Arabi and Al-Kharaitiyat.”

He added: “Both our domestic and overseas players are performing at a high level and I am happy with this big result.”

“The temperature has been high during training sessions and the players haven’t reached their peak fitness levels yet. The ten goals in this match will be a boost for the team ahead of the upcoming match against Al-Gharafa, which will be a true test.”

Ferreira also had words of praise for his striker Baghdad Bounedjah who scored seven goals against Al-Arabi. “It is a big achievement to score ten goals over two games and he is heading in the right direction to become the league’s top scorer. This is a result of his great understanding with his teammates.”

Similarly, Ferreira also praised Akram Afif’s performance. “Akram is one of the best domestic players in the league. I think he has enough amount of experience playing in Europe, which has helped him a lot. He is a talented player with great capabilities and a team ethic. This is what I love about him. He is going to benefit the national team greatly in the upcoming challenges.”