CINCINNATI – It was more of the same in Charlotte FC’s 0 – 2 loss against Cincinnati – dominating possession but not capitalizing on it and getting punished for it from mistakes.
“This is our story at the moment, “said interim head coach Christian Lattanzio. “In my opinion, we were the better team in the first half as well. We conceded on a corner against the run of play. I think we should have been a little bit more forceful and clinical to create better chances in the first half because we certainly had the possession. We had a gameplan and I think the boys were really good in putting it in place.
“If anything I felt we should have been more clinical in the first half. Second half was more of the same. One moment, one mistake, and we get punished. This is the way it goes at the moment. I feel it is very unjust for our boys not just because they played with intensity but also played well. To come out in the second game in a row with nothing, it’s totally against the run of the play, but I understand football is like that. We need to address the goals that we conceded and how we can improve in the last third.”
The most surprising moment of the match came before it when the starting lineups were announced and striker Karol Świderski wasn't in it. Lattanzio breaks down his reasoning behind starting Daniel Ríos over the Polish international.
“I decided to go with this lineup because I saw certain things in training. I thought Danny was working really well and deserved the chance to play the way he trained... I also saw Karol quite tired at the end of the last game. But it was a choice based on what I saw in training, I saw Danny sharp, and I thought he played well.”
Looking ahead, Lattanzio wants his players to use the recent losses to further fuel their determination in training and in the upcoming matches.
“Starting from me, looking in the mirror, we have to try and improve. Again, this is the moment to keep the head down and keep working. I want the boys to keep working, to keep working with intensity and even more. This game should make everybody more determined and angry given that we come back home with nothing in a game that in my opinion we dominated.”
