Match № 10

The match № 10 (group stage), third tournament day

KAZAKHSTAN – LITHUANIA 1:0 (0:0)

January 18th, 2015, St. Petersburg, Peterburgsky SCC, 300 spectators

Referees: Andrey Fisenko, Egor Bolkhovitin, Sergey Karunenko

Kazakhstan: Pavlov, Aslan (c), Sartakov, Fedin (Rodionov, 78), Rudoselsky, Tungysbaev (Suley, 90), Shaikhov, Kuksin (Sariev, 46), Tuliev, Aimbetov (Uzdenov, 71), Khairullin (Djalilov, 88)

Head coach: Saulius Sirmelis

Lithuania: Gertmonas, Aleksandravicius (Raziunas, 16; Urbys Sig., 87), Urbys Sim. (Ganusauskas, 67), Skripkinas (Trucinskas, 46), Krasnovskis, Gaspuitis, Vitukynas (Armanavicius, 46), Bucma, Janusevskij (c), Malinauskas, Baravykas

Head coach: Arminas Narbekovas

Goal: Aimbetov (74)

Yellow cards: Bucma (41), Tuliev (41), Sartakov (61), Djalilov (90)

Best players: Abat Aimbetov, Edvinas Gertmonas

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After match comments

Head coach of team Kazakhstan Saulius Sirmelis:

– First of all, I would like to mark the importance of the game. Any fail even a draw would close our pass to play-off. Now we need to fight. We are not the favorites of the tournament. If something went wrong the last game would have no sense. But we have two moments: the game before the goal and after. If we scored more – the game would end. We could have catch them on counterattacks and to make everything done before the final whistle. Lithuania pushed, but nothing more. They had no dominance – and we hoped for that, because we've seen the first game and were ready. We can compare it with the last year tournament. I can compare situation with the last year tournament when we lost heavily to Belarus. Now we were losing only 1:0, substituted many players and it was sound. We've brought 20 players and all of them will have their chance.

– Can you describe your emotions while being Lithuanian to play against your country with coaching the opponent's national team?

– I can't say that Kazakhstan is a foreign country for me. It's different, but not foreign for sure. I am here for four years, and I like it. Today was my first game against Lithuania. But the most interesting had happened before the game. I was passing by Lithuanian delegation and they were greeting me in Russian. Maybe they didn't know I am Lithuanian, or they forgot. Ones who are older they do know. Concerning the question – we are professionals here and we do our job. I think Arminas will do the same. Whatever you feel you should do your job. Wherever we are – we are Lithuanians.

– We would like to know about Maxim Fedin. He is a very creative player.

– He is two years younger, born 1996. He played in team of the First League that was created as basic U-19. How he is signed to Spartak – Premier League of Serbia. They didn't want let him here, but we managed to do so. After the Cup he will go back. Otherwise he would play in Irtysh this year. There is a limit in Kazakhstan – there should be a player younger than 21. Thus, youth is much needed. This year only 2-3 players had practice. The rest have only passed double, and never being to a real fight.

– After the goal your team went to defense and you were disappointed. Do they have this kind of mentality – to score and to defend further?

– Unfortunately, yes. Before this victory they had only a draw with a lot of defeats in the previous games in qualifications U-18, U-19 and so on. That very team played in Granatkin Memorial 2 or 3 years ago and they had the same result. Where could they have caught the winner mentality? When they won in Turkey with team of 2nd League they felt as World Champions. They have to understand that they deserve all of this. And they need to win for that. And the score-defense mentality only hampers. I am glad they stopped passes for two tall Lithuanian players that could have led to real problems. One goal back and everything could be changed and it is always dangerous. I don't like this way of thinking and I want to change it. We need to play more aggressive take the ball on the opponents' part of the pitch. We have to follow our own game in spite of the score.

Head coach of team Lithuania Arminas Narbekovas:

– I can speak only about the opponents. Today we didn't play, we didn't show anything. It would be better for us not to come to the pitch at all. There were no character, no struggle, absolutely nothing. Our opponent showed his game. Everything that had happened is absolutely fair, by the game.

– What was the reason for early substitution?

– We saw that on the wing several attacks were successful for the opponent and our player wasn't fast enough. It was obvious he wasn't ready. It is not the excuse that yesterday we spent a game and left much strength on the pitch. There is medical staff that helps to recover. It is difficult for sure, but it is impossible to play without character. When it is hard for you but you fight, there will be yellow cards at least. But there was nothing today. Empty space. The opponent has a deserved victory and didn't leave any chances for us.

– It looked like when your players failed to do some elements they started to foul in order to compensate the lack of skills. Was it so?

– They still needed 5 meters more to make a foul. They didn't even reach the place of fight, didn't manage anything. Everybody was flabby today. When your legs do not work the brains become flabby. There was not even one good decision, not even one hided pass. There was nothing positive. Good thing that we weren't injured as for more – I don't know what positive aspects I can note.

– Why has it happened so?

– Yesterday we ran 85 minutes without the ball. It was exhausting. It was triple times harder. Too much strength was spent. Our forward fell out from the game and didn't take passes, didn't help midfielders.