Calderon admitted to failing to get a birthday present.

KUCHING, 16 October: Kitchee SC's rise to tie Kuching City FC 1-1 in the Asian Champions League Two (ACL2) action is seen as a testament to team-based fighting spirit, said Inigo Calderon.

The head coach did not want to blame any players for the mistakes that occurred, instead choosing to appreciate the team's efforts and positive reaction in the face of stress throughout the game.

According to the Spaniard, mistakes are part of football and more importantly is the player's ability to get up without pointing fingers.

"Mistakes are common in football, and they can happen to anyone, and we're not going to blame anybody for this.

"What's important is that the players have shown a high fighting spirit and come back up to level the playing field, despite failing to get full points", he said.

He said that approach is important in building team strength, especially when faced with difficult situations in competitive competition.

The result of the series also saw Calderon fail to celebrate his birthday with a victory, but he remained satisfied with the commitment shown by his players.

In the match, Kitchee was surprised by Kuching City's opening goalkeeper who failed to catch a teammate's delivery ball as early as the second minute, before Everton Camargo tied for 14th place.

He also praised teamwork that helped Kitchee regain rankings, as well as stressing his willingness to play in any position for the benefit of the team.

Commenting on opportunities in group competition, Calderon said the focus is now given to each match with the goal of continuing to improve performance and chase victory in the next action. - TVS