Marin Pongracic was interviewed after his side lost 2-1 to Japan University FA. Here’s some of what the Croatian defender had to say:

“We wanted to win this game and put in a better performance than we did. We made some mistakes that were avoidable, but we also created a lot of chances. We faced a great team who were really up for the occasion. We lost so we can’t be happy, but we move on. We’ve had a good pre-season and have trained well. We weren’t at our best today but we’re moving on.

“I think physically we’re at 100% now. Today was the first game in which the players had a proper long runout. I’d say we’re basically there in terms of fitness. We’re ready for what’s to come.

“It’s hard to make assessments on how the game went right after the final whistle, but there’s no doubt that we’ve got to press better. In England we showed that we’re better in this regard. We’ll analyze the game and then draw conclusions from there.

“I feel in good shape and full of ambition. I want to play to my best level and help the team as much as I can. I feel that the coach trusts me.”