by Desney Romeo
BAKU— The national U15 football selection had to win 0-4 in Oman on Saturday (today) in The Fifa U-15 World Cup & Festival. In Baku, Azerbaijan, the Arab opponent took the lead very early, after Al Yazan Bin Talal used a penalty. In the second half, Oman proved tactically better than Suriname and scored three more times. “We have not kept to our team agreements,” said national coach Orfeo Brondenstein when asked the True Time.
According to him, Oman’s goals could be prevented because agreements had been made that Suriname would close at the back and defend compactly. “But the boys played how they wanted and then the opponent punished you,” says Brondenstein.
“Realistically, I’m going for a draw. Of course you’re going to fight for the win, but I’m satisfied with a draw”
U15 national coach Orfeo Brondenstein
The national coach also believes that his players were ‘afraid’ to walk and were afraid of getting tired. “You can play tight for ten minutes, then you come out and rest for five minutes, then you go back in. But they tried to spread their fitness so they could play longer. I say: ‘give everything until you get tired, then I’ll take you out for a while’.”
He easily summarizes the expensive lesson from the opening match: “If you do not carry out your assignments and you do not score, the opponent will take advantage of that. Every mistake you make will be punished.”
He says he has told his players that in Suriname they play 2×35 minutes, in Baku a game lasts 2×20 minutes. “That means that you have to be able to compete; you just have to give everything. The opponent also gets tired, those players also ask for substitutions. But we Surinamese are afraid to ask to be substituted, while as a player you know how far you can go.”
‘Underestimation’
In Suriname, the lack of urgency when losing the ball or wrong passes was noticeable. “After the match I pointed out these aspects. These are mistakes that you should not make as a football player. You train for this and you know what to expect and yet you do it wrong.”
Apart from all this, Brondenstein does not rule out that nerves have played tricks on his players. “They indicated that their throat became dry and that could be possible, but when I look at the mistakes that were made, it has nothing to do with your throat. We have trained on all these aspects, in Suriname and also here, but I think that underestimation probably also played a role.”
Algeria
The national coach is clear about the next match – Algeria is the first of two opponents in a double blow on Sunday. “My players will have to realize that tomorrow it will be tougher against Algeria and that these mistakes cannot be made again.”
Brondenstein has seen Algeria in action against Argentina. “Algeria is like Oman; tactically very well organized, the team is constantly running, so it will not be an easy match for us,” he analyzes. To add: “They give you space to build up, but if you make a mistake they counter. But Algeria also has negatives. Realistically, I’m going for a draw. Of course you’re going to fight for the win, but I’m satisfied with a draw.”
Algeria defeated Argentina 1-0 and Malawi was too strong for Chinese Taipei 3-2. When asked about Suriname’s chances after the first day of play in the group, Brondenstein says: “I want to get four points in our group and not lose anymore. But that is only possible if you fight for each other. I know it will not be easy.” The coach will not have Jaben Austin and Dencio Pikintio available against Algeria, who are injured. “I’m going to have to adjust the team tomorrow.”
The matches will be played at the Hov San playing complex, a facility with ten playing fields. Brondenstein is clearly impressed with the facility. “I’m experiencing something like this for the first time, everything is perfect. If you want to improve your football, you should have these types of fields. On such fields the boys also develop better, which makes them technically better. This is really fantastic.”
