Jokanovic calls for Muangthong improvement

By FOX Sports staff

The Twin Qilins are currently bottom of Group F after Tuesday's comprehensive defeat at the Saitama Stadium 2002; a game they had to play 60 minutes with a man down after Piyaphon Buntao was sent off shortly before the half-hour mark.

Although he admitted their Urawa had been the better side, Jokanovic was slightly disappointed that his charges allowed their opponents to gain an early foothold in the game with Yosuke Kashiwagi's 8th-minute opener.

"Urawa clearly played better football than we did," he said on the AFC's official website. "But we had to play with one player less and we gave them the present [with] the first goal, and gave away the second goal ten minutes into the second half.

"After that we didn't keep the ball and we tried to find the space but couldn't connect with good passes. The result is not for us but Urawa played better."

With just one point from their opening two games, the former Chelsea midfielder admits it is important for his side to get a result in their next game against Guangzhou Evergrande if they are to keep alive their hopes of making the Round of 16.

"It's important to play well and get a result," Jokanovic added.

"We didn't get the result [on Tuesday] but I expect we will find another way for our next match."

Red Diamonds boss Mihailo Petrovic was relieved his side managed to pick up all three points after their 3-0 opening-day defeat to Guangzhou, although he believes there is still room for improvement.

"After losing in China in our opening AFC Champions League game, we had to win [on Tuesday]," he said.

"We started the game well and took a 1-0 lead. But we should have scored our second goal much earlier.

"Performance-wise, I don't think we were so good as we made some unforced errors. However, we played [on Tuesday] having had only two days between our previous game with Nagoya [Grampus Eight in the J.League] and our players were suffering from fatigue."

Petrovic also conceded he was ultimately pleased with the convincing nature of the victory.

"The best thing was that we collected three points with a win," he added.

"You cannot expect a perfect performance from us every time but we've got a 4-1 win, which is something."

In Tuesday's other Group F clash, Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors played out a 1-1 draw with Guangzhou at the Jeonju World Cup Stadium.