Luizinho Lopes celebrates Operário's reaction in the 3-3 draw with Náutico

The draw in Operario x Náutico, by 3 to 3, had a special flavor for the Phantom. After facing difficulties especially at the start of the match, the Luizinho Lopes team reacted, scored twice in additions and left the field with an important point in the Serie B dispute of the Brazilian Championship.

At the press conference after the confrontation, the coach acknowledged that the Worker had problems for much of the first half. According to Luizinho, Náutico surprised with an individual score on the midfield players and managed to make it difficult to get the ball out of Alvinegra. “Until the 30 minutes our team made a lot of mistakes. The Nautical came in a different way, individually fitting our three middlemen. They have risen the pressure very aggressively,” he said.

Despite the complicated start, Luizinho Lopes highlighted that the Phantom began to grow even before the break. We had already created some good opportunities. I think we finished better in the first half,” he said.

Worker grows in the second half

For Luisinho, the scenario reversed after the break. The coach considered that the Worker came to better control the match and created conditions to seek the result.

According to the Alvinegro commander, for much of the second stage the Phantom was superior to the opponent and, therefore, the defeat would be a hard result before what the team produced. "We did not deserve to have lost the match, although football is not a deserving sport", he stressed.

The reaction took on even more dramatic contours in the final minutes. The Worker managed to score twice in additions and turn a practically routed defeat into a 3 to 3 draw.

Luizinho compared the moment with the frustration he suffered recently before Avaí, when the Ghost had taken two goals in additions. “A short time ago we suffered a very aggressive defeat, suffering two goals in additions inside the house. Today we are awarded two goals, one after the other, in a few minutes,” he said.

Luisinho values point won outside

In addition to the way the tie was built, the coach stressed the importance of continuing to add points in a Serie B marked by balance.

“We were very happy with that one point. Adding up is very important. A point will make a difference. Series B is very close,” he said.

The result also extended a positive sequel to The Phantom. According to Luizinho Lopes, the Worker has reached five matches of invincibility.

The coach also recalled that the recent schedule has demanded a lot from the cast, mainly by the number of matches away from Ponta Grossa. Of the last four games, we had three away and we managed to score,” he said.

List of Worried Commissions

Luizinho Lopes also explained some of the decisions made in the climbing and during the confrontation. One of them involved Alberto, who started on the reserve bank after experiencing muscle discomfort.

According to the coach, the athlete felt the posterior region of the thigh during the last training before the trip. An examination did not indicate serious injury, but identified a small contracture.

“We lowered the volume of the game so it didn’t sprint fatigued. Thank God he came in, contributed and felt nothing,” he explained.

Another player left the field feeling pain during the match. Luizinho reported that initially, the report was of a hyperextension after the leg was pulled during a throw. The situation will still be monitored by the medical department.

The coach stressed that having as many athletes as possible available will be fundamental in this straight of the competition.

Next challenge will be against Criciúma

The Worker will once again have an appointment away from Ponta Grossa. The next opponent will be Criciúma, in another important match for Serie B.

Luizinho highlighted that the Phantom goes through a complicated stretch of the table, with four away matches in a sequence of five games. After that, the situation will be reversed, with more commitments in front of the alvinegra fans. Every game is a battle, every game is a final,” he said.

For the coach, the way the tie against the Nautical team happened can also emotionally strengthen the group for the next challenges.

Speaking about the intense celebration after the tie goal, Luizinho defined the moment as a spontaneous reaction of those who live intensely football. "These are involuntary actions of those who love football, those who work for pleasure, those who are passionate about the profession," he said.

Although regretting that the victory did not come, the coach left Recife valuing the team’s ability to react. “Of course we wanted to win the game, but the way it happened brought a feeling of merit to our work. A lot of gratitude for that,” he added.