Igor Oca: "Si aspiramos a competir contra estos equipos tenemos que dar más"

C.D. Leganés coach Igor Oca held a press conference on Friday following the match between the Pepineros and C.D. Castellón, part of the 22nd round of LALIGA HYPERMOTION, which ended in a 2-0 loss.

The coach assessed the match as follows:

Match assessment: “We have to be clear. There were clearly distinguishable phases. Until the 1-0, we were outplayed in one-on-one situations and had some misalignments. A team of this caliber, coming off five straight home wins, forces us to give just a little bit more. In the second half, we saw a very different Leganés, a bit more dominant without really threatening. We had that clear-cut chance with Juan, and we put the opponent under pressure. Then came the penalty situation. The referees’ job is extremely difficult; what I miss is that they don’t have any assistance. We were putting Castellón under pressure during a very tough stretch, and that’s when the game tipped in their favor and slipped away from us. You have to credit the team’s effort after the 1-0 goal; against teams like this, 30–35 minutes of that level of play isn’t enough.”

Halftime comments: “It’s rare for an opponent to score two goals on set pieces with that kind of attacking prowess. We even discussed the penalty with the opposing team—it might not have been called. We have to be honest: we weren’t in the game for the first 30 minutes. If we want to compete against teams at this level, we have to give more—starting with the coaching staff and extending to every player.”

Castellón as a promotion contender: “They’re a high-level, intense team that manages the tempo well with the ball. When you press them, they’re capable of creating chances with a lot of players. They’re a lively team that’s going to be in the fight for promotion.”