Match №10

The match № 10, group С, third tournament day

BELARUS – LATVIA 0:1 (0:0)

January 26th, 2014, St. Petersburg, Peterburgsky SCC, 250 spectators

Referees: Aleksey Sukhoi, Andrey Bolotenkov, Nikolay Eryomin

Belarus: Vasiliuchak, Klapotski, Karpovich, Shastsilouski, Shramchanka (Kavaliou, 46), Savitski (c) Lebedzeu (Zuk, 71), Yanchanka (Rassadkin, 60), Yablonskiy (Нurenko, 46), Pazniak (Sokal, 46), Yelezaranka (Kaplenka, 78)

Head coach: Ihar Kavalevich

Latvia: Varazinskis, Loginovs (Mukins, 70), Barinovs, Vardanjans (Flaksis, 90), Kiriļins (Kazachoks,73), Giļnichs (c), Shlampe, Klimashevichs, Indrans (Ikaunieks, 52), Gutkovskis (Svarups, 69), Tidenbergs (Miķelsons, 90)

Head coach: Dainis Kazakevichs

Goal: Klimashevichs (56)

Failed penalty kick: Savitski (15, bar)

Best players: Yauheni Klapotski, Raivo Varazinskis

 

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After match comments

Head coach of team Belarus Ihar Kavalevich:

– I congratulate Latvian team with the victory. The first half wasn't good for us, something had gone wrong, but the second was much better. We had some problems with finishing strikes. We were trying to change the score and we had all chances for it. Scored goal means victory. We couldn't do this. We had sharp moments but failed finishing strikes.

– You told that second half your team played better, but you let in a goal. General impression after the match – you came to play from defense. Was it really so, or did your opponent make you play this way?

– For sure, it had happened because of the opponent. We played first 6 minutes without the ball. The opposite team moved to our part of the pitch and we could do nothing. We have to analyze the reasons of it. We came back after the break a bit fresher, a bit faster. The team movement has become better as it should be. As for the goal, it was scored after the free kick and we have to see video repeat, probably our goalkeeper failed going toward the ball.

– In the first half all attacks of Latvia came from the right wing, but you players failed to stop them. Are Latvian players much better in individual skills?

– Problems are coming from the weakest area. We had to make substitutions after the break to solve this problem. Team Latvia is very smart, they had noted the soft spot in our playing and tried to use it.

– You had territorial advantage in second half, closing opponent on their half of the pitch for 5-10 minutes. What did you lack to transfer this advantage into the goals?

– We lacked right decisions at the very end of attacks. Talking simply, we had not enough individual skills. We made combinations till the moment of strike, but the players took decisions very slowly. Probably I could advise something, but what can be advised in the moment of attack? Players took their decisions in such moments by their intuition. I have advises for defense, I can suggest to play tougher, more compact. But today we had wrong decisions in the attack.

Head coach of team Latvia Dainis Kazakevichs:

– It was clear still before the game started that we were opposing a mighty, thinking team. A team which has excellent players, especially in the attacking group. We were preparing for it in a special mode. We were preparing to dominate the space. I'm glad that the team showed good discipline and cooperation. And while yesterday I said I was satisfied with the result today I'm satisfied with both result and playing. There are some problems, of course, but we are glad to have won a bright and sound team with strong players.

– Your team had quite a number of moments, but at the final stage you lacked a player to finish the scoring episode. Is it the matter of lack of experience?

– We were a bit late in taking decisions. The pass and the kick must be done earlier. While we were slowing the moment the opponent managed to overtake us and block the kick. It's the matter of experience. Generally there are two things to consider. First, you can train the model which brings scoring moments. It's the matter of team cooperation. Second, the deciding moment is the individual skill. A player who can realize his moment has a higher level than a player who can't make a kick in time. Here are young guys. Experience is acquired within some time, as you get self-confident. It's just a matter of time.

– At the bench you often consulted about substitutions or positions on the pitch not only with the coaches but also with the players. Is it a kind of democracy?

– It's important that the team feels responsible for the result, that everybody is aware it's the win or loss of the whole team. So there's a kind of bringing up the players. Besides, someone could get tired and I missed it. All the more, yesterday's game took much of our forces. So I make sure that a player is ready to go on. You see, we had to be very mobile and aggressive today to oppose team Belarus. That's why there are other coaches – to take collective decisions when it is needed, though it's me who has the last word.