Ferreira: It wasn’t easy to win in these conditions, we haven’t clinched the tie yet

Al-Sadd head coach Jesualdo Ferreira felt that his players were deserved winners after scripting a 3-1 comeback victory over Esteghlal in the first leg of the AFC Champions League quarterfinals.

Speaking at the post-match press conference, Ferreira said: “We performed very well. We deserve to win by this scoreline and we could have scored more goals.”

“Qualification hasn’t been secured yet. We won the first leg but there is still a second leg that will undoubtedly be tough. Football has taught us that we can’t clinch the tie over just one game in such (knockout) rounds and we need to prepare well for the second leg.”

Asked if he had expected this result, the coach said: “It is easy to say now, after winning, that I expected this scenario. But the truth is I did not expect this.”

“I had spoken before the game saying that Al-Sadd had come to win and not for a draw or a loss, and so we had played with the objective of winning. I expected that we would win and we managed it despite being a goal down in the first half. We committed an error and conceded a goal but in the second half, we succeeded in making up for that and getting the win. I want to congratulate my team for their excellent performance not just in this game but since the beginning of the season and since the start of preseason too.”

“The team deserves appreciation for their performances until now. But nothing is done yet. We still have a crucial phase ahead of us, in which we need to remain focused to clinch qualification to the semifinals and also focus on the league. I am confident in the ability of the players to deal with these pressures.”

He added: “It was not easy to win in such an atompshere, with the pressure of playing in front of these fans. It’s also not easy to overturn the scoreline in such conditions. I want to congratulate the Al-Sadd players again for this level of performance and I want to tell them that we haven’t achieved anything yet. We have a second leg coming up, for which we have to prepare well.”

Finally, Ferreira concluded by saying: “Al-Sadd displayed its character, strength and desire by reaching this stage in the tournament and the players now need to remain focused in the second leg because qualification will only be ensured in Doha. Esteghlal will fight because they have nothing to lose. Al-Sadd need to prepare fully for the game despite this deserved victory in Tehran.”