Carvalhal reveals his darker side as Sheffield Wednesday slip to defeat

Lucas Joao missed a glorious chance to give the Owls lead before Reading struck twice (Picture: Steve Ellis)

Two goals from Roy Beerens settled the game between the teams placed third and sixth at the start of the day, but Owls chief Carvalhal believed the game was decided in the amount of chances the Owls created.

The statistics bear that out, with the Owls having 18 shots to Reading’s 12.

Carvalhal said: “There is a saying ‘if you don’t kill, you can die’,” Carvalhal said. “And that’s what happened today.

“We prepared very well for the game and we closed down Reading very well. I don’t remember any problem for us in the first half.

“We have another part to our game. When we have the ball, we try to be a threat and try to score.

“We had a clear chance in the second half (Joao), probably the best clear chance of the game. But we didn’t shoot the goal.

“After their second goal, it was a different situation. Our players never gave up and we felt we could have won this because of what we did.

“In my opinion, we were more threat to them than they were to us. It’s important in these games that when you control them, you must score.”

A drab first half produced little of note, apart from a flying save from home goalkeeper Ali Al Habsi to keep out a fierce 20-yard effort from Ross Wallace.

Lucas Joao should have put Wednesday ahead early in the second half but, after racing clear and with Al Habsi wrongfooted, he somehow shot wide of a post.

Beerens then struck twice in 19 minutes – his first goal deflecting in wildly off Glenn Loovens, his second a clever cross-shot.

Wednesday launched a late rally but had only a far-post header from Steven Fletcher, in the second minute of stoppage time, to show for their efforts.

Wednesday remain sixth, while Reading are five points behind second-placed Brighton.

Royals boss Jaap Stam said: “We were not happy after that game (at Fulham) and how we performed. But that sometimes makes you aware of what you need to do if you are going to get results in the Championship. That’s what we did today.”

Reading: Al Habsi, Gunter, McShane, L Moore, Blackett, van den Berg (Kelly 83), Evans, Beerens, McCleary (Mendes 89), Obita,Samuel (Kermorgant 64). Unused substitutes: Cooper, Meite, Watson, S Moore.

Sheffield Wednesday: Westwood, Hunt, Lees, Loovens, Reach, Wallace, Lee, Hutchinson (Hirst 77), Bannan, Joao, Nuhiu (Fletcher 60). Unused substitutes: Wildsmith, Palmer, Semedo, Pudil, Sasso.

Referee: T Harrington (Cleveland).