Melbourne City Head Coach Aurelio Vidmar says he couldn’t be prouder of his team’s response, following Tuesday night’s 2-0 win over Johor Darul Ta’zim, a result that marked City’s third straight win in the AFC Champions League Elite.
Coming off a disappointing loss to Adelaide just four days earlier, Vidmar praised the resolve and mentality of his squad, who not only returned to winning ways but also made Club history in the process.
“Yeah, really proud of one, the result, but also the effort that the players put in tonight,” Vidmar said post-match.
“We had to bounce back in a big way after Friday night, and they certainly did that. It was not an easy game for us. They’re a very good side, and, you know, they pushed us all the way.
“We just found a way to hang in there, and I think it’s important.”
City made the ideal start, scoring inside the opening five minutes through Max Caputo, but were made to work hard for the remainder of the contest. With the visitors enjoying long spells of possession, Vidmar lauded his team’s ability to adapt and manage the moments.
“We started off the game very well, scored early, probably should have had a second one when Max missed from close range with the header,” he said.
“And then we sort of lost our way. They started to find the momentum, where they kept the ball for longer periods than we did. We did that a little bit more in the second half, especially in the last 10 or 15 minutes.
“We tried to make some changes to keep the energy up, especially in midfield, where we’re quite short, quite light on in the midfield at the moment. But we did well. So really pleased.”
Despite dealing with a busy schedule and a number of key injuries, Vidmar has guided City to a strong start in the AFC Champions League Elite competition.
“We could have been a lot cleaner with the ball, especially when we’re under pressure,” he said.
“But, you know, there’s still quite a few guys there that are not experienced and are still gaining a lot more rhythm and a lot more game experience.
“So, as I said, I’m so rapt for them because you need a certain mentality, you need a certain mental strength to bounce back after a defeat, and we were able to do that.”
Vidmar also highlighted the value of a fast start, something his team has increasingly made a habit of.
“We try to do that all the time,” he said. “You know, we focus on that first six to 10 minutes. It needs to be a strong start.
“If you can score inside the first, you know, six, ten minutes, it’s always a bonus. We’ve done that this season already, and we did that again tonight, so that obviously helps.”
With City’s position in the group strengthened, Vidmar is under no illusions about the challenges still to come, both in Asia and back home.
“We knew how important this game was tonight and how important it was that we won. All that’s given us is an opportunity to get ourselves into the next round,” he said.
“There’s still three games to go, we have to travel to Seoul, we have to travel to Ulsan, two very different places to go to.
“And then obviously trying to back it up, that’s never easy.”
Still, with a number of senior players edging closer to full fitness, the signs are positive.
“We saw Medin Memeti tonight come on and score a great goal. Andy [Nabbout] again is getting more rhythm. Sammy [Souprayen] was back on the bench tonight and should be available for this weekend’s game,” he said.
“Elba’s [Rashani] not far away and Nate’s [Atkinson] not far away, probably the following week. So that’s going to be a real positive for us.”
