Match №17

The match № 17, group C, fifth tournament day

LATVIA – KAZAKHSTAN 0:0 (0:0)

January 28th, 2014, St. Petersburg, Peterburgsky SCC, 200 spectators

Referees: Vasily Miroshnichenko, Andrey Vereteshkin, Konstantin Shalamberidze

Latvia: Varazinskis, Loginovs (Mukins, 46), Barinovs, Flaksis (Vardanjans, 65), Kazachoks (Knuts, 90), Ikaunieks (Svarups, 63), Giļnichs (c), Shlampe, Klimashevichs, Gutkovskis (Indrans, 74), Tidenbergs (Parfjonovs, 70; Mikelsons, 85)

Head coach: Dainis Kazakevichs

Kazakhstan: Pavlov, Sartakov, Passichnik, Lunin, Grek, Islamkhan (c), Zhukov, Zhanggylyshbay (Li, 59), Murtazayev, Aslan, Kuat

Head coach: Saulius Sirmelis

Yellow cards: Aslan (25), Kazachoks (48), Gutkovskis (60), Gijnichs (71), Mukins (81)

Best players: Dmitrijs Klimashevichs, Grigoriy Sartakov

 

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After match comments

Head coach of team Latvia Dainis Kazakevichs:

– As I had expected, the game was hard. We needed to hold the first place and the opponent needed points as well. Unfortunately not all my players could cope with the task. Especially I'm not happy with the side forwards. They tried to rebuild the centre and lost the ball and the initiative in the first half. In general, the opponent had more sharp moments, but I'm satisfied with the actions of our players in defense. A big problem was standard kicks. Our goalkeeper had to work hard in those moments. We came to lead this match, as it was against Belarus, but team Kazakhstan didn't allow us to seize the initiative. The result on the scoreboard and the standings, however, is positive. We're on the top. That means we've done our task.

– The group stage was quite level for your team. How did you manage?

– It seems level and easy only at first sight. It's hard to play in such a schedule on the same high level. But if you look closely at the starting team sheets of all our previous games you'll see I've never copied it. Currently we have only one player without playing practice – our second goalkeeper.

– Does he have chances?

– I'd say a second goalkeeper always has chances for coming on the pitch.

– You've said the task is done, what's next?

– First, we surely wanted to be on the first place. It was our task for the group stage. And the general goal is winning every match. We'll have a real Baltic derby: in play off we meet team Estonia. You've asked me recently if we had special preparations for Moscow, and now I'll tell you that our greatest preparations are for the team of Estonia. Though we're preparing for all the games as if it were finals.

– What's about the local atmosphere in your team?

– We work much at physics and we pay much attention to psych. I need to make a team, a collective. We try to spend free time together. Even yesterday when we had leisure time we made use of it by going to Tsarskoye Selo to watch the sights. Our liaison officer provided us with a splendid excursion and we had a great time in the open freezing air!

Head coach of team Kazakhstan Saulius Sirmelis:

– I want to congratulate Dainis with a good team and deserved first place in the group. His success is more valuable because our group, if it is not the strongest, is the most equal. Each squad could take first place. All the teams are similar with their level. About the game, without paying attention to first minutes when we could concede a goal, I'm satisfied. We improve our playing match by match, are getting experience, play against strong teams. It's a pity that we couldn't score, but there will be time for it in future.

– Many of your colleagues complain for tough game schedule and the tiredness as the result. But your team today made a real rush at the end of the match. Where have the strengths come from?

– Yesterday we had a day of rest and we took advantage of it. We trained and had a recovering session. We have a good medical staff in our team, they are professionals and do their job perfect.

– You had a free day, did you have a chance to go sightseeing?

– Unfortunately, no. All the sights we have seen: hotel – stadium – football, and airport before it.

– Don't you regret?

– Regret because we didn't go sightseeing? For sure I regret it. It would be nice to have such a chance. But if I were not football coach I wouldn't have even these possibilities.