Reflecting on the contest, Conti acknowledged the challenge posed by a physically superior opponent but pointed to internal lapses as the key difference.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cIt was a difficult match. We knew Australia had a lot of quality, and it was going to be hard to play with the ball. I think the team did very well defensively. It was important not to concede many goals, and in the end, the two goals they scored came from our own mistakes. That is where we need to improve a lot,\" the Italian told the-aiff.com.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Despite conceding once in each half, including an own goal, India showed resilience for long periods, with Conti stressing that her approach was not built around passive defending.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cIn the second half, things changed because we attacked more. We already knew that when you open up against teams like this, they will score. I told them to stay as compact as possible, to play with a mid or high block, and to press. I didn\u2019t want the team to just sit back and defend all the time. It\u2019s unfortunate that we scored an own goal,\u201d she added.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The coach drew encouragement from her team\u2019s defensive organisation, particularly in limiting clear scoring opportunities for Australia, saying, \u201cI think there are many positives. First, Australia didn\u2019t have many shots on target. We defended very well. All the players showed great desire and commitment. Now our focus shifts to Japan.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Conti also underlined the fine margins at the continental level, where goal differences can prove decisive, while noting the contributions of substitutes in a more proactive second-half display.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cYes, I\u2019m very proud of my team. I think we played a great match. But we also have to be realistic. We are talking about Australia, a very strong team. We played well, but now we face Japan, which will probably be even more difficult. We also have to manage the players physically because it won\u2019t be easy,\u201d she stated.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Conti also underlined the fine margins at the continental level, where goal differences can prove decisive, while noting the contributions of substitutes in a more proactive second-half display.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cI went to watch the first half of Japan's match against Lebanon. They are an incredible team. I don\u2019t think I\u2019ve ever seen a team at this age play like that. We have to be very careful because it will be a long and demanding match. We will do video analysis of the mistakes we made and continue working towards the match against Japan,\" said Conti.<\/p>\r\n\r\n