Match № 15

The match № 15 (group stage), fourth tournament day

MOLDOVA – LATVIA 1:1 (0:0)

January 19th, 2015, St. Petersburg, Peterburgsky SCC, 300 spectators

Referees: Oleg Sokolov, Yuriy Yarushkin, Pavel Evstafiadi

Moldova: Mitu, Razgoniuc (Lakusta. 54), Rosca, Burlacu (Graur, 39), Birdan (Dulgheru, 69), Ursu (Bejan, 64; Andronic, 90), Spataru (c), Macritchii, Rogac, Dulghier (Ciofu, 80), Semirov (Paireli, 60)

Head coach: Igor Ursachi

Latvia: Kurakins, Stuglis, Berenfelds (Ivanovs, 84), Flaksis (c), Tidenbergs, Kirilins, Gutkovskis, Slampe, Sadcins, Klimasevics, Svarups (Indrans, 86)

Head coach: Dainis Kazakevichs

Goals: Tidenbergs (49), Bejan (82)

Yellow cards: Berenfelds (46), Indrans (90), Graur (90)

Best players: Alexandru Bejan, Endijs Slampe

Photоs >>>

Video >>>

 

After match comments

Head coach of team Moldova Igor Ursachi:

– I have supposed that it would be hard game. Yesterday Russian team worn off us a lot. It was the time for coach's cunnings. The opponent has started aggressively. We let them initiative by ourselves. I have changed tactical schemes several times during the match. I'm happy that guys heard me and obeyed. The most difficult period was after the goal we have let in. But it is good that we have managed to level the score and finish the match with the draw. I want to note and praise the team of Latvia. Today we had probably the most difficult game on the tournament. I followed this team. They started all matches with the same lineup. I understood that we would have troubles, Latvia is our competitor. So today as in previous matches I wanted to refresh the game. Some people will say that I'm a mad man – to change the lineup for 85 percents. But I understood that players needed freshness. We were lucky today for sure. The player who has scored the goal was the most "fresh" on the pitch.

– What was the reason for such an early substitution?

– I have changed right winger because he wasn't ready. That certain wing our opponent has used for most of his sharp attacks. I had another guy for this position and let him in.

– In difference to your opponents you have good chances to struggle for medals, who will you prepare for next matches?

– As Caesar – came, saw, adjusted! We will plrepare to a certain game separately. Sometimes there is a need to act not by the book and it is a talent to invent something new. We need to search some ways even in the case when the opponent is obviously stronger than you.

– There is an unpleasant accident in Championship of Moldova – several clubs has withdrew from competitions. Will it influence the youth national team?

– We have players from these clubs in our squad. I do not want to talk about crisis. We do not have big range of players in our country. Good player won't stay without the club. Also the national Federation of Football makes all efforts to smooth this situation. This situation has appeared not for the first time, even I can remind several same cases during my coaching. It is all up to economic situation of nowadays. Big football is a part of economics. As for the players, they won't stay without playing practice and it is the most important point.

Head coach of team Latvia Dainis Kazakevichs:

– No doubt I am not satisfied with the result of the game while having a significant advantage on the pitch. We failed to realize our moments with the opponent being smart creating his line of defense; waiting and he got what he wanted to. This case we have no one to blame. Because with that number of scoring moments we should have determinate the game to the middle of second half. Team of Moldova caught their moment, scored and won their precious point. Still, I am very thankful to my players, they overcame emotions, tuned and played for the victory. However that is bad we didn't get positive result.

– Your colleague marked that you had started all the games with the same line-up. Why did you decide to be so predictable?

– The functional condition of our players was not bad before the game, thus I don't think that aspect influenced a lot. We carefully look after each player. It is obvious that we had three meetings; we want to look at all the players just as other coaches do, but first of all I am interested in the lineup. We have 4-5 players from Latvia who didn't manage to come here. We never substitute just for a substitution – the best ones entered the pitch. Preparing for the game we counted that we have couple of hours advantage. Both of us played yesterday, we finished earlier. I should say that coach of Moldova is good in tactics, and the players are rational in use and realization of the moments. Look, yesterday they scored twice and today – once with fewer moments that we had. Thus, many coaches during the press-conferences are complaining about problems with realization. Moldova has no problems with that.

– All coaches are speaking about exhaustion, but today is only a half of a tournament has passed. There are three more games.

– We have games for 9-12 places. But that is a good challenge to check our character and strength. Coming to the tournament we had several tasks. One of them – get to play-off. Unfortunately we didn't. No excuses – I don't think we would deserve it. From the one hand score is the most objective measure. On the other hand – we didn't score penalty kick yesterday, stayed in minor, failed to hold the score today. A little loses everywhere. However now we are relaxed and I can watch at all of the players.