Pereira: It felt like we never went out onto the pitch

In Week 9 of the Trendyol Süper Lig, Corendon Alanyaspor lost 2-1 at home to Kocaelispor. After the match, Alanyaspor head coach Joao Pereira sharply criticized his team's performance, particularly in the first half.

Pereira said his team had no presence on the pitch in the first half. "In the first half we basically did not come out onto the pitch. We did not play, we did not run, and we made too many passing mistakes," said the coach, stressing that the poor showing in the first half decided the outcome of the match. He also questioned both his own game plan and the fighting spirit of his players as possible reasons for the performance.

Pereira noted that the three substitutions made in the second half changed the game, and said the energy the players brought on gave the match a different feel. The coach also pointed out that his side played a 5-3-2 system in the second half.

Referring to the points dropped in recent league weeks, Pereira admitted the team had not reached the performance it was aiming for. He said at least four points could have been collected from the last three matches but only one had been taken, adding, "This performance is not enough for me or for the team."