Three consecutive defeats meant Cambodia U-22 knew they were likely to be the first side to be eliminated from 26th SEA Games, however, head coach Leonardo Vitorino believed that his team had played well so far.
“Our players played well against strong teams like Thailand after experiencing a fair game over the Philippines and just struggled against Vietnam. I am not disappointed because we have tried our greatest efforts,” Vitorino told reporters on Monday press conference, as reported by Tien Phong.
On the other hand, the Brazilian expressed his expectation about the development of Cambodia football.
“In this tournament, we have used three defensive players in the mid-field setback, which is our new playing tactic. The players are not really familiar with this tactic, so they often make mistakes. However, I believe in a bright future of Cambodia football and the U-22 team,” added Vitorino.
Cambodia may have chance to earn the first points in their SEA Games campaign when they face minnows Timor Leste on Tuesday.