HLV of Adelaide United highly praises CAHN: 'An excellent team, very strong'

Coach Airton Andrioli offered commendations for CAHN Club following Adelaide United's 0-2 loss to the Vietnamese side in the AFC Champions League Elite qualifiers.

Adelaide United failed to secure a spot in the main stage of the AFC Champions League Elite after losing 0-2 to CAHN Club at Hindmarsh Stadium. After the match, Coach Airton Andrioli admitted he had anticipated the difficulties of facing the Vietnamese team.

What is your assessment of CAHN after this match?

+ Coach Airton Andrioli: We knew they are an excellent team, a very strong side. We knew this would be a tough match.

We were not surprised by the opponent. However, I think we made things difficult for ourselves at two moments in the match, and the goals changed the course of the game.

We defended well, but at those two key moments, the players did not perform their duties as they could have. As everyone knows, in football, goals change the game.

In your opinion, what caused Adelaide United to concede two goals?

+ You have to maintain concentration throughout the entire match. I think we came back in the second half and played really well. We applied pressure to find an equalizer. For most of the game, we played well and defended well.

But as I said, there were only two moments. In football, goals speak volumes.

Adelaide United will now drop down to the AFC Champions League Two. How do you view this outcome?

+ We are still competing in Asia, and clearly we are satisfied with that. We did everything we could hoping to participate in the AFC Champions League Elite, but it didn't happen.

We look forward to playing in Asia at the second-tier competition and will do everything possible to ensure the club is represented properly.

Two official matches without the desired results—are you worried as the new season approaches?

+ There is nothing to worry about. We are still training as usual and need to continue preparing for the season.

We have to stay positive. Everything has just begun. Clearly we have played two official matches and the results were not what we wanted, but we will continue to prepare the team.

We are confident that we can perform as well as we did last season.

How do you evaluate the current options in attack?

+ Right now, we are focused on helping the players who can play in that position, like Anselmo and Brody Burkitt, reach good physical condition. Currently, both are not at 100% fitness.

We need to give a player like Burkitt the opportunity to play to see what he can do when he gets more regular minutes.

We have to be flexible and creative. I want to give the players I just mentioned the chance to regain their best form and see what they can contribute to the team.

What does continuing to compete in the AFC Champions League Two mean for Adelaide United?

+ I expect the club and the team to grow more. We are a club that focuses heavily on young players, and there is nothing better than helping those players gain different experiences.

For a young player, playing a full season in the A-League is already great. But being able to compete in Asia is another level entirely.

Teams in Asia bring different challenges because of the quality of their players. Not just quality, but also the different qualities and characteristics the players possess.

What goals will Adelaide United set as they continue their journey in the Asian arena?

+ We are extremely disappointed not to be in the AFC Champions League Elite, but we still have the AFC Champions League Two to compete in.

We will make the most of this opportunity, grow as a club, and continue developing our players.

By the end of the season, perhaps we will be sitting here again talking about two or three other players who surprised many people. That is what we hope to achieve.

We just need to keep a positive mindset, continue building the team, and hope to once again surprise many people like we did last season.