Thomas Christiansenselector of Panamadeclared himself very proud this Sunday for the effort and dedication of his players in the end of the gold Cup who lost 1-0 to Mexico. “We gave everything in today’s game. Everything we had, down to the last drop of blood. The team died standing up,” the Spanish-Danish coach said at a press conference.
“They score a goal for us a couple of minutes before 90. There is nothing I can reproach my players for. They have had a fantastic tournament and, as I told them, you have to have the medal on. There are many who take it off but I told them to feel proud of everything they had achieved, of those compliments they have presented for football,” he added.
Christiansen pointed out that Mexico was a “very good” rival, which “subdued Panama at many times”, and regretted that the Canal team did not complete their chances, perhaps also because of their wear and tear in the semifinal in which they had to go to penalties to subdue the United States.
“We have played several times against Mexico. We know how they play, we know the virtues they have, individual quality, speed… It was a game to be together, with the lines quite close, the swings had to be good at closing spaces for inside,” he argued.
“The game was like that. The times we recovered the transitions, I think we arrived with a lot of danger. We had our chances but in the end we faced a Mexico that has gone from less to more and from here I also congratulate them on that Gold Cup,” he added. . Despite the sadness of another lost final, the coach highlighted “the maturity”, “the experience” and the growth that Panama has acquired.
The Panamanian Adalberto Carrasquilla, MVP of the Gold Cup
Christiansen also congratulated the Panamanian Adalberto Carrasquilla, who was named the best player in this Gold Cup. “In the locker room I said that, of course, he deserves it because he is a very good player. But the team is the one that has done good for he too. He has a lot of merit but the team has also contributed its grain of sand and I have congratulated them for that”, he explained. “We have lost and we have to raise our heads, which (the players) can be very proud of,” he closed.
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