MIAMI GARDENS, United States: Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany praised his team’s constant attacking threat despite their ups and downs in their 4-2 win over Flamengo in the Club World Cup this morning.
The German giants led 2-0 before regaining a two-goal advantage at 3-1, but the Brazilian club managed to equalise.
Although satisfied with his team’s mental toughness, the former Manchester City captain was most impressed by how his men never lost focus in the game.
“I think the most important thing in this match – which is always important in any match – is that we always remain dangerous,” he told reporters.
“No matter whether we defend or hold the ball, we are still dangerous. Even when defending, when counter-attacking, we look like a team that can score at any time,” he stressed.
“I think we stayed calm, then scored at the right time to relieve some of the pressure. When you play against a team like this, the support of the fans is a big factor in the game. The game against Boca was the same. It felt like an away game for us, so we had to adapt and find a way to win,” he explained.
Kompany said the ability to regain control of the game when the opposing team is gaining momentum is one of the most difficult aspects to teach.
“That’s the hardest thing to coach, it’s true. I was a player myself. In situations like this you have to take responsibility. No matter how good your coach is, it won’t help if you don’t do it yourself.
“Most importantly, you have to stay calm. That’s something that players do, it comes from experience too, but it’s also a topic of our discussion.
“We can’t lose in five minutes just because we’re going through a tough period or because we’ve given away a penalty that shouldn’t have been given,” he said.