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Alaves coach proud in defeat
DORTMUND, Germany (Reuters) -- Alaves coach Mane said his players would remain proud of their achievements despite falling painfully short of victory in Wednesday's incredible UEFA Cup final against Liverpool. "Dortmund has seen a great final," said the coach after Liverpool's 5-4 win. "And it was possibly the smallest team in the competition that made it great." The tiny Basque club, in their first European campaign, played with real guts and no little skill as they came back from being 2-0, 3-1 and 4-3 down to force extra-time against the English League and FA Cup winners. In the end, as tiredness and red cards for Magno and Antonio Karmona took their toll, it was Liverpool who clinched an amazing win thanks to a heart-breaking golden own goal from Delfi Geli after 116 minutes. But Mane, full name Jose Manule Esnal, saluted a stunning display that saw them push Liverpool all the way to the tape. "We played with pride and class to get the score back to 4-4 at the end of normal time," said Mane. "The result of that, however, was that we were half dead going into extra-time. "But we're the same team as we were two hours ago. One side always has to lose a final, just as one wins." Alaves was virtually unknown outside Spain before a Cup run that brought victories over Inter Milan in the fourth round and Kaiserslautern in the semifinals, the latter by a 9-2 aggregate. And Mane was pleased his side had played with the same panache as in previous games in the competition. "The players got us here working hard, playing great football and making the fans enjoy themselves," he said. "They're big men and we have to be proud of what we've done. "When you get to a final the important thing is the way you play and we played the same as we have done all season. "On another day I'm sure it would have been a different result." Mane also had a word for the two sets of fans, who created a carnival atmosphere inside and outside the stadium, with no reports of major trouble. "The fans were a model of good behavior today," he said, before repeating: "It was a great final."
Copyright 2003 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
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