Match №2

The match № 2, group A, first tournament day

UKRAINE – KYRGYZSTAN 2:0 (2:0)

January 24th, 2014, St. Petersburg, Peterburgsky SCC, 200 spectators

Referees: Vladimir Moskalev, Ivan Kasyankov, Aleksandr Shimarygin

Ukraine: Makharadze, Pysko (Gonchar, 56), Bratkov, Prindeta, Mishnev (Savelenko, 46), Yurchenko (Vakulenko, 76), Memeshev (Bliznichenko, 46), Totovitsky (Akulinin, 46), Kalitvinzev (c) (Myakushko, 75), Malinovsky (Puchkovsky, 73), Miroshnichenko

Head coach: Sergey Kovalets

Kyrgyzstan: Sitolenko, Barsukov (Karipov, 90), Kolbaev, Kozubaev (c), Sharsheev (Duvanaev, 74), Talantbekov (Talgat, 71), Otkeev (Temirbaev, 78), Umarov, Israilov (Sagynbaev, 85), Akhmataliev (Musabekov, 46), Zhyrgalbek (Taalaibekov, 80)

Head coach: Anarbek Ormombekov

Goals: Malinovsky (25), Kalitvinzev (31)

Yellow cards: Miroshnichenko (16), Yurchenko (50)

Best players: Vladislav Kalitvinzev, Tamirlan Kozubaev

 

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After match comments

Head coach of the team Ukraine Sergey Kovalets:

– We enjoyed the matches which have passed in the tournament. They were combats. We consider the tournament as a training stage for the European Championship. There are many new young players. Speaking about the game, I liked it. Though, I guess, there is still being an adaptation to the court and pitch. And I want to congratulate team Ukraine with the victory.

– Sergey Ivanovich, what had happened to your team after the break? Was it resistance of the opponent?

– Yes, the opponents were activated thanks to their head coach. In some sense my guys could have thought that two-zero was enough to make the game accomplished. In some sense team Kyrgyzstan showed its best. Then, we've made many substitutions and the guys needed adaptation to the game rhythm. We also had some mistakes, but we'll try to improve.

– Unlike your colleague, you were not eager to control your team from the coaches' bench. Is it because your players know what to do and can play without being helped?

– Yes, you are right, the guys must be able to think on the pitch without being helped by their coach. They must help each other on the pitch. I only advised them three or four times how to act. You know, we look at our actions during theoretical exercises, when I draw their attention to some moment or another.

– You led in the match 2:0 both in the score and yellow cards. Is it the matter of the guys' nerves? Everything looked good for you, you were leading and getting yellow cards just from nothing, one of them was given for simulation.

– Well, the first card we got in the heat of the fight. When you are trying to win all the duels, to hold the ball, to play with forecasts, you sometimes fail to play fair. That's the reason of the card. And the second card was for simulation, indeed, but this was a kind of decision "to the discretion of the referee".

– Are you satisfied with your lineup? Is it optimal for this tournament?

– Not all the strongest players have come. Some couldn't come because of injuries, unfortunately. Some went for training with their clubs. But it gives chances to others to show themselves, and a chance for us to watch their playing and physical technics and thus to contribute to the national team.

Head coach of the team Kyrgyzstan Anarbek Ormombekov:

– In my turn I also want to congratulate Ukrainian team with the victory. They impressed me with their tactics and the understanding of playing. As for my team, young players didn't manage with excitement. They couldn't obey tactics that we chose before the game, let in the escapable second goal. During the break I've talked to my squad and succeeded in changing the scheme of playing, asked them to become active. I liked the movement of the team but the content of the game left much to work at. We won't stop on this result, we still have the chance to qualify to quarterfinals. We want to show more spectacular and mature football in future.

– Defenders of the Ukrainian team are tall and husky, comparing with your forwards. What was the tactics to fight with them? High passes were breaking all the time.

– We had the talk before the match, especially with defenders who have to make these passes. We planned to keep the ball on the pitch and use free zones behind the backs of defenders. But our opponent used high-positioned pressing. They played compact and didn't let us to come from our side of the field. There was no time to think whom you will deliver the pass, no time to raise your head. That is why high passes were the easiest way and sometimes the only way to go forward, but our strikers were losing struggle for it, as they are smaller than opponent's defenders. In the second half we have managed to keep the ball on the pitch. We nearly changed the moments we failed in the first half. We knew that for the first 15 minutes Ukraine would be active and be aimed at fast goal. It had happened this certain way.

– At the same time, you had several very perspective counter attacks but the finishing pass was the main problem –

– You are totally right. We worked on it and prepared counter attacks for using free zones that have to be on the pitch, Ukraine used to play the leading role. But our mistakes with finishing passes didn't let us win. The main reasons are lack of skills and over excitement, may be.

– How will you solve this problem?

– We will solve it for sure. The finishing pass is the "death pass" that leads to scoring, but we have to explain it to players. We have players who can make such passes, but they have to recover themselves.

– Do you use a principle of "carrot and sticks" in your coaches' staff? One of your assistants blames the player for the mistake, but you support him at the same time.

– It is much easier. My assistant just shows the mistake directly and loud and I try to explain how the player can avoid it in future. That is why there is an impression that one us is angry the other one is kind.