Struggled to Create Scoring Opportunities

Kocaelispor’s head coach Ertugrul Saglam expressed his happiness after their 1-0 victory over Central Hospital Umraniyespor in the ninth week of Trendyol 1. Lig, noting that they are pleased to finish this week at the top of the league.

In the post-match press conference, Saglam stated that they are enjoying the experience of being in first place. He highlighted that 7-8 teams in the league have similar quality and strength. “It’s important to get here, but we need to work much harder to stay here. We need to produce more than what we have done before. More sacrifice and taking on more responsibility are required. If we do that, we can continue on our path at the top of the league,” he said.

Saglam acknowledged that they played a tough match against a good opponent, stating, “Actually, the match was under our control from start to finish. We were the team that dominated the game, directed play, and played in the opponent’s half. Unfortunately, we struggled to create scoring opportunities.”

Emphasizing the progress they have made in teamwork, Saglam added, “We have now learned to play together. It is evident that we are making progress every day in terms of playing compactly and together. The three points we earned today are significant, but it is equally important to have played our fourth match without conceding a goal. We are very happy to have won, and finishing this week at the top of the league is significant for us, our city, and our supporters.”

Central Hospital Umraniyespor’s side

Central Hospital Umraniyespor’s head coach Tuncay Sanli noted that they displayed different styles of play in each half of the match. He pointed out that despite not reflecting their desired style in the first half, they did not concede any scoring opportunities. “We knew our opponent was effective in throw-ins and set pieces, where we had weaknesses. We wanted to play more boldly in the second half. Although we did not fully showcase our desired style in the second half, we played better. We will continue to develop our game and keep our fighting spirit high,” he stated.