Match №19

The match № 19, quarterfinals, sixth tournament day

UKRAINE – LITHUANIA 4:1 (3:1)

January 29th, 2014, St. Petersburg, Peterburgsky SCC, 200 spectators

Referees: Aleksey Sukhoy, Aleksey Krokhin, Vladimir Korzhevsky

Ukaraine: Makharadze, Pysko (Gonchar, 46), Vakulenko (Mishnev, 54), Bratkov (Svatok, 61), Prindeta, Yurchenko, Memeshev (Puchkovsky, 78), Kalitvinzev (c) (Bliznichenko, 66), Totovitsky (Myakushko, 61), Malinovsky (Akulinin, 46), Miroshnichenko

Head coach: Sergey Kovalets

Lithuania: Plukas (Gertmonas, 53), Raziunas, Pangonis, Vitukinas (Norvilas, 46), Krasnovskis (Baranauskas, 73), Stankevichius, Gedminas (Skripkinas, 34), Girdvainis (c), Upstas (Narbutas, 64), Salamanavichus (Baniulis, 77), Vilkaitis

Head coach: Arminas Norbekovas

Goals: Salamanavichus (10), Prindeta (25), Yurchenko (28), Totovitsky (31), Akulinin (47)

Yellow card: Puchkovsky (80)

Best players: Vladlen Yurchenko, Tomas Salamanavichus

 

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After match comments

Head coach of team Ukraine Sergey Kovalets:

– First of all I want to congratulate my colleague with his birthday that was yesterday. As for the game, we knew that Lithuania is a very good team with its own style; they defend very well and make fast transfer from defense to attack. We tried to hold all these moments in mind, but conceded a goal first anyway.

– Have conceded goal thrown you out of your stride?

– For sure, we didn't expect it. But our coaches' staff has decisions for any problem. We understood that after scored goal Lithuania would fall back to defense and the only way to crack it was free and place kicks. We tried to explain it to our players and I'm happy that we have managed with it. As you have seen our first goal was scored from corner kick.

– You have talked after previous matches that your players needed to use long-range kick, but today all goals your team have scored after long combinations...

– I can confirm one more time that we need long-range kicks as the final strike of the attack. But we have to keep balance. We can't use only long-range kicks, everything have to be in complex. Today the winner in football is that who can take quick decisions.

– Have you had a chance to talk to your colleagues during the Commonwealth Cup?

– Certainly we try to use all the time of this tournament with the biggest profit, including the exchange of experience. We meet each other very rarely but we have got acquainted many years ago. For example, Arminas is a very good expert and a man, Olympic champion back yonder. I can note also a warm atmosphere on this tournament. All the teams have come here in a good mood, to show their style and to watch the others.

Head coach of team Lithuania Arminas Norbekovas:

– I thank Sergey for his warm words and congratulations. His team has shown a fine quality football today. Ukraine always plays on the highest level. I wouldn't be wrong if I foretell their being in the finals. I can only say about ourselves that we've got tired. There's no other explication for 3 missed goals within 6 minutes. It seems playing constantly shorthanded affected our physical state.

– A question on the same topic: have you emphasized somehow the fairness of playing when giving instructions before the match? There were three red cards in your three previous matches.

– Well, not all of them were penalties for rude playing. No, I didn't emphasize it. The guys are adults, they must be realizing themselves how unrestraint on the pitch may end.

– Team Lithuania is memorable with its well-trained defense on this tournament. How can you explain today's failure?

– Tiredness again. And I can't blame our goalkeeper for any of the conceded goals.

– By the way, you substituted him and let the second goalkeeper on the field at last.

– That's right. The score was 1:4, we couldn't save the match, and the nerves of the player should be spared. And besides we needed testing the second goalkeeper in the game practice.

– Are you satisfied?

– It's hard to give any estimation here. He hasn't let in. But there were no any dangerous situation or sharp moments from the opponent's side. I'll repeat that he is still very young: he is of the 96th year of birth. We had only one younger player on the pitch, he is only 16. But as a coach I was interested in testing them.