Liam Rosenior hails hat-trick hero Ozan Tufan as Hull defeat Sheffield Wednesday
Posted Sunday, August 13, 2023 by PA
Liam Rosenior believes Ozan Tufan is reaping the rewards his efforts deserve after his hat-trick helped Hull to a 4-2 Championship comeback win at home to Sheffield Wednesday.
The Turkey international was at times unplayable, with his performance – some could say – emblematic of the difference in quality between the two Yorkshire sides.
Rosenior said: “It (the hat-trick) was better than good. He deserves it and I’m so happy for him.
“The reason the quality is there is because the fitness is now there – that sums up his attitude.
“He is working so hard. He’s pressing so hard from the front along with Liam (Delap). And when you work so hard in life, you get the rewards.”
Wednesday were poor, but they somehow took the lead after 36 minutes when Juan Delgado capitalised upon Dominic Iorfa’s low cross via a deflection.
Hully equalised in first-half injury time when Lee Gregory elbowed Jacob Greaves inside the box and – from the resulting spot-kick – Tufan scored an unstoppable penalty.
The Turkey international then stole the show after the interval by firstly scoring a wonderful second from the edge of the penalty area after 58 minutes.
With Wednesday out of ideas and fatigued, Tufan put the game out of sight with a similarly-precise finish with the inside of his right foot.
Substitute Aaron Connolly made it 4-1 after he passed the ball into an open net following Michael Ihiekwe’s poor back-pass.
And though Wednesday substitute Michael Smith added a touch of respectability to the scoreline in stoppage time, Owls fans may have few qualms with the result.
Rosenior: “I’ve got to give the players all the credit in the world – they were fantastic from start to finish.
“They responded brilliantly (from the opening goal) and also by how I want to build as a club.
“In my opinion, it was complete domination from start to finish. That was not a 4-2 win. We should not have conceded a second and it should have been more.
“If you look at us now, we are much fitter and more front-footed as a team.
“We must stay consistent and keep working but there are some really, really positive signs.”
Wednesday have now lost their first two games since gaining promotion from League One.
Manager Xisco Munoz said: “The second half we were very far away from what I want.
“I didn’t see the balance for a consistent performance, but the situation right now is to control emotions.
“We need to control the moments and we need to improve with duels – both in offence and defence.
“We needed to improve on many things, but every day we get better and better and get closer, but we need to find a solution.
“We need to improve about clean sheets and defensive situations, but this is my job. They called me for this situation, and I will give 100 per cent.
“It is my responsibility. The players gave everything, but we now have to improve our tactics and our fitness.”
Munoz, who ironically signed Tufan when in charge at Watford two years ago, added: “We need the balance – this is the situation.
“The first half was closer to the performance we want, but we didn’t do it in the second half.
“The intensity in the second half was the difference. This is one of the situations we need to improve.
“This team has more capacity for attacking, but we need to work very hard about the balance, with more time on the ball and playing higher.
“We need to understand better about what the Championship demands.”
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