Selangor FC head coach Katsuhito Kinoshi admitted that his team’s 4-2 defeat to Bangkok United in the AFC Champions League Two 2025/26 Group Stage, Group G was not solely due to the opponent’s strength, but rather repeated tactical mistakes and poor communication among his players.
Speaking after the match at the MBPJ Stadium, Kinoshi acknowledged that small lapses proved costly.
“As I said today, this was a difficult match. But honestly, we made it harder for ourselves. One small mistake – it may seem minor – but those little errors killed us,” he said.
The Japanese tactician highlighted slow reactions, poor positioning, and wrong passing choices starting even from goal-kick situations. These lapses allowed Bangkok United, with their technical quality and sharp awareness, to exploit the openings with clinical precision.
“If the opponent wasn’t strong, maybe it wouldn’t be a big problem. But at ACL2 level, teams like Bangkok United read weaknesses quickly and punish them.”
Selangor’s situation worsened after they were reduced to 10 men following a first-half red card. Despite this setback, the Red Giants showed fighting spirit, scoring twice and threatening a comeback.
“That shows our mentality. Even when we lacked numbers, the players never gave up,” Kinoshi said.
Ironically, Kinoshi observed that Selangor played better football with 10 men compared to when they had a full squad – something he believes must be corrected.
“In the first half, 11 versus 11, we struggled. But with 10 men, we improved. That is not normal. So we must change our mentality for the next match.”
Credit Photo : AFC
