Sabah Boss Proud Of His Players After McCar…

Sabah FC boss Valdas Dambrauskas has praised Aden McCarthy after the South African defender scored his first UCL goal. (Photo: Gallo)

Sabah FK manager Valdas Dambrauskas said that he was proud of his side after they suffered a defeat to Borussia Dortmund — an encounter that also saw Aden McCarthy register his first UEFA Champions League goal.

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Dortmund Edge Sabah in Champions League Thriller

Sabah FC fell to a narrow 2-1 home defeat against the German giants, with Serhou Guirassy proving to be the difference on the night.

The Guinea international opened the scoring as early as the 10th minute, but Sabah refused to crumble and found a way back into the contest before the interval.

In the 39th minute, McCarthy rose highest in the box to direct a header home, scoring his maiden Champions League goal and igniting the home crowd with a deserved equaliser.

However, Guirassy struck again in the 53rd minute to seal all three points for the visitors, handing Sabah a hard-fought defeat despite a spirited display.

McCarthy’s Performance Beyond the Goal

Beyond his goal, the South African defender played the full 90 minutes and put in a gritty defensive shift at the heart of the backline.

McCarthy produced a crucial block to deny Guirassy a hat-trick, though he did pick up a yellow card in the second half for his troubles.

Valdas Dambrauskas on Sabah’s Performance

Speaking after the match, Dambrauskas acknowledged the quality of the opposition while praising his players for not throwing in the towel.

“The opposing team consists of very high-level football players. Sometimes they can play well, but the result also depends on the opponent’s ability,” the coach said, per O, Sportas!

“During the match, we created good chances to score, we played actively in attack. Unfortunately, we failed to achieve the desired result. I am proud of my football players. They showed a very good game.”

He added: “The most disappointing thing was that we started the match poorly. In the Champions League, the speed and intensity are completely different. We started both halves poorly and conceded goals early. We were unlucky in some episodes. In any case, I am proud of my players. They did not give up until the last minute.”

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