Australia coach: 'I was very worried when VAR was introduced'
(Baonghean.vn) - Coach Graham Arnold admitted he was very worried when his player handled the ball in the penalty area, but ultimately VAR technology sided with the Australian team.
Despite being considered the much stronger team, Australia faced many difficulties in their away match at My Dinh Stadium, and only managed a narrow 1-0 victory.
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| The situation where the referee denied Vietnam a penalty. Photo: Hai Hoang |
Coach Graham Arnold admitted his team had a tough match: “Vietnam really caused us a lot of difficulties. I always thought it wouldn’t be easy coming here. The Vietnamese team usually plays very well at home.”
Regarding the VAR decision to deny Vietnam a penalty, coach Graham Arnold said: “In that situation, the ball touched my player’s hand. I was quite worried, but the referee’s decision was made and I completely agree with it.”
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| Coach Graham Arnold admitted his team had a tough game. Photo: Hai Hoang |
Coach Graham Arnold insisted he was not disappointed with any of his players, even though Australia did not play their best in this match.
"I am proud of my players. My players did very well. Of course, they could have done better, but the important thing is that we got three points at My Dinh Stadium," emphasized coach Graham Arnold.
"Coming to a Southeast Asian country to compete is very different. However, we still have many matches ahead and we will try our best to play well," the Australian coach emphasized.
Coach Graham Arnold also added that the absence of fans at My Dinh Stadium helped the Australian players reduce a lot of pressure.
"The fact that My Dinh Stadium is empty of spectators is an advantage for us. Having fans would be a huge boost for the home team," said coach Graham Arnold.
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| The visiting team had a tough match against the home team, Vietnam. Photo: Hai Hoang |
Ultimately, the Australian strategist believes that the Vietnamese team can play better, and he doesn't compare his defeated opponents to the other teams in Group B.
"I can't compare which team is better than the other. When teams reach the final qualifying round of the World Cup, they're all difficult to play against. The Vietnamese team played very well today. I don't want to compare them to other teams," Graham Arnold concluded.
Meanwhile, Grant insisted the ball only touched his back and not his hand in the incident that led to the VAR call during the match.
