'We contributed to our own downfall' - Higgins
Coleraine manager Ruaidhrí Higgins admitted his side were architects of their own defeat after a 5-0 loss to HJK in the UEFA Conference League qualifier.
Coleraine suffered a heavy 5-0 defeat against HJK in the first leg of their UEFA Conference League second qualifying round on Thursday. Manager Ruaidhrí Higgins expressed disappointment, stating his team contributed to their own downfall.
The Bannsiders trailed 2-0 at half-time after goals from Liam Moller and Pyry Mentu. Toivo Mero added a third early in the second half, and former Premier League striker Teemu Pukki scored twice to complete the rout.
“The manner of the goals we gave away and the timing were extremely disappointing,” Higgins told Coleraine TV. “We contributed to a lot of their goals and that’s on us, so we have to accept it.”
The defeat was compounded by serious injuries to Aidan Wilson and Mark Coyle, forcing them off early. However, Higgins refused to use injuries or his team's lack of fitness—HJK are in the middle of their season—as an excuse. “They are in their prime of fitness and we’re just searching for fitness. We were a bit makeshift, but we still have to do better as they didn’t have to do much to score their goals,” he said.
Higgins urged his side to learn quickly from the defeat. The second leg will be played in Northern Ireland next week.
