Match №25

The match № 25, matches for 5-8 places, eighth tournament day

LITHUANIA – ST. PETERSBURG 0:0 (0:0), pen. 4:5

January 31th, 2014, St. Petersburg, Peterburgsky SCC, 200 spectators

Referees: Sergey Kulikov, Vladimir Korzhevsky, Nikolay Yeryomin

Lithuania: Plukas, Raziunas, Pangonis, Krasnovskis (Baranauskas, 85), Armanavichius, Girdvainis (c), Narbutas (Skripkinas, 44), Upstas (Gedminas, 78), Salamanavichus, Norvilas, Vilkaitis

Head coach: Arminas Norbekovas

St. Petersburg: Sizko, Krivulkin, Deyneko, Ivanov V. (Pankov, 68), Umarov (Zolotarenko, 50), Efimov, Panfilov (c) (Zakarlyuka, 80), Ivanov A., Bogayev (Mironov, 73), Tundenkov (Lyasovy, 46), Guschin

Head coach: Boris Rapoport

Penalty shoot-out: 1:0 Girdvainis, 1:1 Panfilov, 2:1 Baranauskas, 2:2 Ivanov A., 3:2 Salamanavichius, 3:3 Deyneko, 4:3 Gedminas, 4:4 Zakarlyuka, 4:4 Skripkinas (wide shot), 4:5 Zolotarenko

Yellow cards: Raziunas (19), Zakarlyuka (90)

Best players: Lukas Pangonis, Daniil Sizko

 

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After match comments

Head coach of team Lithuania Arminas Norbekovas:

– For the second time during this tournament I congratulate team St. Petersburg with the victory. Of course the guys are tired, they have no glint in their eyes. I think we couldn't get into the game in the first half and in the second we played more composed and correct. Unfortunately, both in the first game and the second mistakes are the same: we have the initiative and create moments but fail to score. Penalty shootout is a lottery. We didn't train penalty kicks for purpose.

– And nevertheless you finished this game with a draw. Is it the correction of mistakes?

– Not exactly. I can't say we had a bad first match. If you remember we just were unlucky then. But today I was pleasantly surprised when my players felt the time for regrouping, the moment when team St. Petersburg eased up. Generally, I think my colleague will agree with me if I say that the game was to the goal.

– Last year your team took a higher position: you lost to Belarus in the match for the 3rd place. What was wrong this year?

– Many things. First of all, I've said already that we had only 4 days to get to know each other. Some players whom I'd like to see in this team couldn't come here. Mostly here are the 1st league players. For example, Stankevichius, our leader – but he hasn't played much here: at first he got a red card, then he missed a match because of it and now he's gone to England, to his club.

Head coach of team St. Petersburg Boris Rapoport:

– I have told my players before this match: "Don't be euphoric about the victory in the first match". We had some success in the first half but totally failed the second. For some reason we fell back and let the initiative to the opponent. I have warned that Lithuania is a strong team and they would try to possess the ball. But the tiredness played a big role today, it was a hard match for us. I can say even there was a big luck in some moments and our goalkeeper showed his best. In the second half I changed two midfielders for the players of 96th y.o.b.. They have made many mistakes but I have nobody else for substitutions. Pankov and Krivulkin who has come to the pitch in second half are our future. They improve match by match. By the way, Krivulkin is not a midfielder at all, it is not his position. But I let in those who were on the bench. For the game, I think we were lucky.

– Have you trained penalty kicks?

– There was no reason for it. Moreover, I have asked guys: who will strike penalties? Only Panfilov said he was ready, everybody else had to be appointed. Some of them didn't want it, others were unconfident. It's a big luck that we have won it. I want to note a different moment: there is a need of rotation in the matches for 5-8 places, so that teams could play against different opponent comparing to the group stage. Judge yourself: we have played against Lithuania, Kazakhstan have met Latvia, it would be better to choose opponents with drawing lots.

– Your colleague Vladimir Scherbak has said that he would recommend some of his players from team Moscow to the national team. Do you have a contact with Nikolay Pisarev and will you recommend some candidates to the national squad from your team?

– Certainly, I have contact with Pisarev. Moreover, he is happy with such a situation that three Russian teams at once participate in Commonwealth Cup. It gives an opportunity for coaches of the national team to look through about 50 players. It is a rare chance. We have discussed some of our players. I know that he is interested in two persons. He didn't tell the names, so I can only suppose.

– How can you estimate the performance of goalkeepers?

– I can say that all the goalkeepers on this Cup plays good, but our Sizko, Lithuanian and Russian goalkeepers show really outstanding performance.

– On the first press-conference you have told that team Japan had impressed you much on Valentin Granatkin Memorial and you took the recordings of their matches. Is there any team on Commonwealth Cup that has impressed you as much?

– For sure and for the first, it is Ukrainian team. They have skilled and educated players. It is a team that has balance in all the lines. Russian team is also strong but they still can't show a plain game for the full 90 minutes. The only problem they have is lack of time for trainings. Belarus team is also not so simple. I think Ukraine will have problems in the match against them today.