GUZMAN KEEPS BELIEVING

TIJUANA –Club Tijuana Xoloitzcuintles coach Daniel Guzman talked about his team giving up a 1-0 lead at the half and committing mistakes against Atlas FC Friday night. But the Xoloitzcuintles manager wants fans to keep the faith in that his team will qualify to the playoffs with one regular season match remaining.

Here is a transcript of coach Guzman’s post match news conference”

Daniel Guzman:

On controlling first half but not being able to put it away in the second:

"It's clear luck is not on our side when it come to finishing. There were a lot of goal scoring opportunities in the first half. We hit the post a few times. And this is how it is; if you don't put it in then you are vulnerable to committing a mistake and hiving them take advantage. Which is what happen to us again. In two plays that they got forward they convert, the two goals which in the end was the difference." 

On being able to talk to Jesus Chavez about the mistake that led to the goal:

"Yes, it's been happening to us in the last few games in which we have entered this small crisis that our mistakes have compounded. Small conceptual details that the rival takes advantage of. We haven't take advantage of our chances. Games are won with goals, they are won by scoring when you are dominating, and right now we are living this situation. There is still hope but we are all very sad in the locker room, all of us. I imagine that the fans are as well. But there is still some light (at the end of the tunnel), which is that it is still in our hands. We need to pick ourselves up emotionally. We need to prepare ourselves because there is only one game left. Only one chance left and who is to say we won't go into Leon, win and qualify to the playoffs?" 

On how he sees his team in terms of concentration and arguing with the referees: 

"The reality is that when a team starts to struggle a bit with bad results despite playing well... Although I'm not going to lie to you, players are low on confidence they are having doubts as to why things aren't coming out as they should. But the only thing to do is to work with them mentally, keep trying, accept the defeat gracefully and prepare ourselves. I repeat, we are not dead. This is building us as a team in a different way. If we want to be that big team we have to overcome this adversity, pick ourselves up and go play the game of our lives in Leon. Who knows, maybe there luck will change and we win that game. Today is clearer than ever." 

On substitutions and losing despite playing well: 

"To talk to you right now with the sadness that everyone is feeling right now would not be healthy. I want to sleep through the night, digest the loss and see where I can improve and prepare for the Leon match. I repeat that in my managerial career I have been able to overcome some strong adversities and today more than ever I can say I have more patience. I want to transmit that patience to the players. It all depends on us. I've lived situations where I depended on more than just my work and my team's efforts and today the only advantage within this sadness that has come over all of us is that we will go and play the game of our lives in Leon. And for that we need to pick up all of the players emotionally and play of last chance against Leon." 

On whether there was an excess of confidence that has led to the team picking up one point from 18: 

"No. I think that we take a look at this small crisis, the balls we miss before were going in now it hasn't been that way. From the Monterrey game with a penalty that wasn't a penalty and a bunch of situations like that. And we haven't been finishing our chances. Maybe because of that dip in form and hurt any team. I've seen even in the biggest soccer stars in the world, when things aren't going your way you really feel it. And it's not the same when you win and have a positive streak. That is the reality. We own up to it. The only way I know to get out of it is to pick yourself up, keep trying, and not losing your love for soccer. They are trials that life puts before you to see how you reconstruct yourself in a better way. And that is the mentality that we will have from here to the end of the season. And I repeat, there is a reason why things are happening. While we still depend on ourselves, we need to change and improve a few things. But we will fight and give it our all in this last chance/game we have." 

On what do tell the fans about this sadness? 

"I get it. Because that sadness comes over the entire fan-base. It also comes over all of us here as a team. All I can tell them (the fans) is to not lose hope, you never lose that. Just like this team was once brilliant and league leaders, now we are humble and accept this moment and the only way to bring back happiness to our fans is to play the game of our lives in the last game and I have a lot of faith that the team will come out stronger from this small crisis we find ourselves in. And I see and feel that we will qualify."