Garitano: “We weren’t able to close out the match”
Garitano: “We weren’t able to close out the match”
Athletic get a well-earned point but fail to take advantage of an early lead against Getafe CF
Athletic Club manager Gaizka Garitano admits the lions will leave Madrid with a bittersweet feeling after drawing 1-1 against Getafe CF in their LaLiga matchday 11 fixture.
The lions took an early lead through Asier Villalibre’s first goal of the season, but Getafe managed to get a late equaliser.
“The draw is not a bad result and we have to take it positively,” Garitano said at his pre-match press conference. “However, we had chances to win and failed to close out the match.”
Athletic dominated for most of the first half, but Getafe came out fighting in the second.
“We played well in he first half, visiting sides don’t normally dominate like that at this ground,” Garitano added about Athletic’s first-half performance. “In the first 45 minutes the team attacked really well.
“In the second half, despite defending well, we weren’t able to hurt them. We didn’t create clear chances or give them a scare. We had hoped they would leave spaces, but we failed to take advantage.”
He concluded by praising his side for their performance against a notoriously difficult opponent, saying: “That’s two matches in a row without losing and the team gave a good account of themselves.
“At this ground there’s no time to think. They get on top of you and it’s difficult to combine and link up. It was one of the most physically demanding games because there’s a lot of challenges.”