Portugal coach: I really like the team’s resilience and team spirit. Jota’s strength is with us

On October 12, in the European group stage of the World Cup preliminaries, Portugal narrowly defeated Ireland with a score of 1-0. Ruben Neves scored the only goal of the game. After the game, Portugal coach Robert Martinez talked about all aspects of the game.

On the team's performance throughout the game

This game was as we expected, Ireland performed better than they did in September. They took a hit after losing to Armenia and we expected them to react and show this aggression and they played well. The important thing for us is not to get anxious and stay focused, taking advantage of counter-attacks and set-piece opportunities. We had nine corners and Ireland had none and they didn't even have a shot on goal. Overall, we performed very well without the ball. Although we failed to score earlier, I really like the resilience and team spirit of the team. We did not lose control of the game and it was a hard-fought but deserved victory.

On why the game is so difficult

I think our strategy is to continue to use the players we have, such as Bruno Fernandez and Bernardo Silva, maintain the width of the attack and involve Nuno Mendes and Pedro Neto. Having Pedro Neto on the left helped a lot in the second half as Ireland had an asymmetrical lineup structure. This is not a simple crossing strategy, but to avoid counterattacks and maintain defensive balance. We need to move the ball faster and use the width of the field to find space. Ireland conducted an intensive defense, with all 11 players retreating to the defensive third. We've been better before, but at times we've lacked the final pass or the decisive run. Overall the team never lost control of the game and showed great determination and intelligence. The fans also helped the team win 3 points.

About the contribution of substitute players

Substitute players are also very important, I think I mentioned this during the European Cup. We couldn't stay strong at the end of games before, but that changed during the Nations League. In the semi-final against Germany, the team ended up putting on a great performance and playing smart. Substitute players come on with a clear purpose, which makes the team more stable.

About Ruben Neves’ goal

Jota’s strength is with us. He always inspires us and allows us to continue chasing his dream, which is also our dream.