Pareja left flat by Lille leveller
Thursday, September 14, 2006
Article summary
Despite scoring and being named man of the match, RSC Anderlecht defender Nicolas Pareja told uefa.com of his disappointment at failing to secure three points.
Article body
RSC Anderlecht defender Nicolas Pareja says he would gladly have swapped his UEFA Champions League debut goal for all three points in Wednesday's 1-1 home draw against LOSC Lille Métropole.
'We should have won'
The summer signing from AA Argentinos Juniors headed in four minutes before half-time in the Belgian champions' opening Group H fixture, but a stirring late fightback from the visitors eventually bore fruit when substitute Nicolas Fauvergue struck near the end. "OK, I scored and I'm happy with that but I'm disappointed because I think we should have won," said Pareja. "For me, the result is always more important than any personal achievement."
'It's our fault'
Anderlecht certainly looked the better side in the lead-up to their breakthrough, and the Argentinian centre-back believes they only have themselves to blame for not securing a first home win at this level in almost three years. "We had the ball all the time at the start, but after we scored we dropped back and that's something we've been doing too much recently. It's our fault and we need to correct our mistakes," he said.
Puel substitutions
One thing coach Franky Vercauteren is sure to focus on is how his players lost composure when rival boss Claude Puel introduced strikers Fauvergue and Souleymane Youla on 60 minutes to form a three-man attack with Peter Odemwingie. "Lille played well and hit the post a couple of times but all their shots were coming from outside the area," the 22-year-old Pareja continued. "It was only after they made the two changes that they looked organised and, to be honest, we were then a bit lost."
Athens test
Third in the section following AC Milan's 3-0 defeat of AEK Athens FC in the other game, the Brussels outfit next face a testing trip to the Greek capital on 26 September, but Pareja rejects the idea that an opening home draw will increase the pressure on them. "Anderlecht always go out to win, whoever they're playing," he said. "What's most important for us is to work hard on the errors we made here and to come away from Athens with a good result, having played our own style of football."
