- Title: JAPAN: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - Corinthians beat Al-Ahly to reach Club World Cup final
- Date: 13th December 2012
- Summary: TOYOTA, JAPAN (DECEMBER 12, 2012) (REUTERS) CORINTHIANS COACH TITE ARRIVING AT NEWS CONFERENCE NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) CORINTHIANS COACH, TITE, SAYING: "Corinthians had a huge responsibility and we were expecting the match to be this difficult. In the second half we were trying to score a goal and trying to make sure we beat Al-Ahly. We tried to defend and to change the game to stop Al-Ahly from attacking us but emotionally I think there was a huge impact from an emotional perspective. It's not the coach that is calling the game to be like this but it was a huge game and also we have been put under pressure and looking at the history of this FIFA Club World Cup I guess the mental impact has a huge impact looking at the past. Well, yes we were trying to be a little more aggressive and we are trying to play at a higher tempo but mentally I think we have been pressured and that has had a major impact." JOURNALIST (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) CORINTHIANS COACH, TITE, SAYING: "There is a possibility and it's getting more realistic to win the title and we do have the possibility to claim the title and that is the only thing I can tell the players. It's time for us to say that we can be champions and we have a ticket to become the champions so we do have a huge responsibility." TITE LEAVING AT THE END OF THE NEWS CONFERENCE / TITE SHAKING HANDS WITH REPORTERS AL-AHLY COACH HOSSAM EL BADRY (RIGHT) AT THE NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) AL-AHLY COACH, HOSSAM EL BADRY, SAYING: "Of course it is regrettable that we have lost. The players performance was extremely good today and I was hoping that we could win. However there were some technical mistakes which hindered the style in which the team expected to play but I think we played better than Corinthians. We should have won if you just simply compare the performance." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) AL-AHLY COACH, HOSSAM EL BADRY, SAYING: "I would like to talk about the potential, the possibilities of our players. Of course all the players are very frustrated and very sad that we lost but we shouldn't just look back at the past, we should always look forward to the future and think about what we might be able to do in future matches. The team is already strong and at a high level. Monterrey and Chelsea are also very strong teams but we have not lost hope and we hope to take third position." EL BADRY LEAVING AT THE END OF THE NEWS CONFERENCE
- Embargoed: 28th December 2012 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Japan
- Country: Japan
- Topics: Sports
- Reuters ID: LVAEOSRRFEYMM1Z6X0DRRP5MT47U
- Story Text: Corinthians beat African champions Al-Ahly 1-0 on Wednesday (December 12) to reach the final of the Club World Cup but the Brazilian side failed to impress as they set up a potential showdown with Chelsea.
Peru striker Paolo Guerrero twisted superbly to head the winner for the Libertadores Cup holders on the half-hour mark to the delight of the Corinthians fans in Toyota.
Corinthians, the first team since 1978 to win South America's premier club competition without losing a game, survived a second-half onslaught from Egypt's Al-Ahly to advance.
Ramy Rabia and Elsayed Hamdi missed gilt-edged chances for Al-Ahly, whose players are still scarred by a stadium riot in which more than 70 fans died earlier this year.
"We were expecting a difficult match," Corinthians coach Tite told reporters. "We had huge responsibility on us to win and mentally we were under a lot of pressure."
Chelsea, whose defence of their Champions League title ended in the group stage last week, face Mexico's Monterrey in the other semi-final in Yokohama on Thursday (December 13).
The Chelsea players, stopping to watch the second half of the game in Yokohama's mixed zone after training, will have seen precious little to worry them from the Brazilians.
European sides have won the last five editions of the Club World Cup, Barcelona lifting the trophy in 2009 and 2011.
Many fans have made the long trip from Brazil to cheer on Corinthians, the first winners of the FIFA competition in 2000, and Tite said winning the championship is becoming more realistic.
"It's time for us to say that we can be champions and we have a ticket to become the champions so we do have a huge responsibility," he said.
Al-Ahly coach Hossam El Badry could hardly mask his disappointment after his side failed to take their chances after dominating the second half.
"The players performance was extremely good today and I was hoping that we could win. However there were some technical mistakes," he told reporters. "But I think we played better than Corinthians. We should have won if you just simply compare the performance."
El Badry said the competition is not over for them as they are now focusing on winning the third place playoff.
"Monterrey and Chelsea are also very strong teams but we have not lost hope and we hope to take third position," he said. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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