Wsl Narrowly Misses Victory Despite 25 Shots on Khorfakkan's Goal, Castro Laments

Al Wasl coach Luis Castro didn't hide his frustration after his team could only manage a 1-1 draw against Khor Fakkan in the UAE Pro League. Despite creating 25 shots on goal and dominating large portions of the match, "The Emperor" failed to convert their chances into the win Castro felt they deserved.

The Portuguese manager was particularly critical of his team's first-half performance. "The first half wasn't good at all in terms of organization, pressing, and passing," Castro said after the match. "This allowed Khor Fakkan to control some periods of play and exploit opportunities better than us."

Castro pointed out that his players looked hesitant in their decision-making early on and couldn't impose their usual style of play. But things changed after halftime when tactical adjustments gave the attacking players more freedom to move forward. This led to Al Wasl's equalizing goal and helped them regain some of their typical offensive rhythm.

The numbers tell the story of Al Wasl's dominance - 25 shots on goal that simply wouldn't go in. "The ball didn't favor us this time, despite all the effort," Castro explained. He admitted there's a feeling of injustice within the squad because the final result didn't reflect their control of the game or the chances they created.

Castro also addressed how their recent cup exit to Dibba Al Fujairah affected the team mentally. "The loss negatively impacted the team's mental state and led to a loss of confidence in some situations during the match," he said. But he believes the squad has enough quality to bounce back quickly from this setback.

The coach's immediate focus now shifts to Al Wasl's upcoming AFC Champions League 2 match against Bahrain's Al Muharraq on Wednesday. Castro sees this as equally important as their league fixtures and stressed that every game requires complete mental focus and making the most of every opportunity.

"The team needs to regain confidence and concentration," Castro concluded. "All matches require full mental presence and capitalizing on every chance to achieve victory. We have great confidence in the players' ability to correct course and return to winning ways."