Match № 19

The match № 19 (quarterfinal), sixth tournament day

BELARUS – KAZAKHSTAN 1:1 (0:0) pen. 3:1

January 21st, 2015, St. Petersburg, Peterburgsky SCC, 350 spectators

Referees: Nikolay Voloshin, Vsevolod Zharikov, Pavel Evstafiadi

Belarus: Vasiliuchek, Shestilovsky, Yablonsky (c) (Juk, 68), Yanchenko (Klimovich, 67), Lebedev (Zalesky, 80), Chernyshov (Yarotsky, 62), Yevdokimov, Karpovich (Zolotov, 71), Poznyak, Milevsky (Tesluk, 46), Zinivich (Ignatenko, 46)

Head coach: Igor Kovalevich

Kazakhstan: Pavlov, Aslan (c), Sartakov, Rudoselsky, Djalilov, Tungysbaev, Shaikhov, Tuliev, Aimbetov, Khairullin (Suley, 71), Rodionov (Sariev, 46)

Head coach: Saulius Sirmelis

Goals: Djalilov (64), Yarotsky (78)

Yellow cards: Tungysbaev (67), Djalilov (76), Poznyak (80)

Best players: Yaroslav Yarotsky, Erkebulan Tungysbaev

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After match comments

Head coach of team Belarus Igor Kovalevich:

– It was a hard match of two equal opponents. The final result – the draw – reflect how things were going on. Team Kazakhstan – we were carefully watching it – was improving from game to game. Today they've shown a quality football. And the penalty shootout is a lottery game. I'm grateful to my guys for showing their character. We are now undergoing some tactical reconstruction. I'm sure we will succeed, so I'm glad about the team.

– Have you been training the penalty shootout before the game?

– No, we haven't. We trained it at the football arena in Minsk, while preparing for the tournament. Once we had spare time we trained penalty kicks. We didn't dedicate time for it specially. And besides, performing penalty kicks at training and in game are quite different things. But we have a very good goalkeeper and I was sure I could rely on him.

– In the prospect of team playing on the group stage and in the play-off, is there any progress?

– I wouldn't say it is a real progress. The guys are still young, and they lacked the freedom of movements which must be. The result was pressing and there was some composure in the team's actions. I'm dissatisfied with some moments, especially in the first half. But I think this match will give us a possibility to free ourselves. We could win back, we could defeat a very good team, and this will help us.

– Today Vladislav Juk stayed in reserve. Was it done purposefully, to strengthen the game, or he had some problems?

– He is a good, speedy player, but he still has to work on his psyching. One thing is coming on the pitch when you are not pressed by the score and another one is to decide the outcome of the match. He had some moments, but he was too composed to score. Though I think he will overcome it.

– Your team found it difficult to approach the gates of team Kazakhstan, and yet they didn't determine to strike the gates from a long distance. As soon as they started they earned the goal. Maybe it would have been useful to advice them to make long distance kicks from the start?

– I was telling them. But one thing is to be telling and another – the decisions people take according to the situation. It's they who decide, not me.

– What have you said to the goalkeeper when the penalty shootout was obviously inevitable?

– He haven't listened to what I said. I told him: if one kicks with the left foot jump in the left corner. Vasiliuchek jumped in the right corner and saved. 75% strike the left corner, according to the statistics. He hasn't listened. (smiling)

– Have you seen the matches of team RSA and team Russia? Who will win today?

– Matches of the group stage differ from those of the play-off, so it's hard to predict. The both teams are bright and equal. Anything can happen. All the same, the young guys have another psychology. The one stronger in psych wins. Kazakhstan was better in the match against the RSA, for me. And you know the results.

Head coach of team Kazakhstan Saulius Sirmelis:

– I want to thank my guys. They have done well. You see, the main point was that we lacked time for recovery. I don't have anything to add. The game was equal.

– There was a funny moment when you were planning to substitute number 9 and he, having seen his number on the referee's table, scored a goal. You cancelled the substitution. Were you afraid of losing your luck?

– There is football logic. There is something that advices you not to substitute the one who has scored. Though, actually I saw he couldn't manage the game. And when the other player was coming to substitution Raul performed two precise sharpening passes and scored a goal. So I've got a thought that perhaps we don't need to substitute him. But now is doesn't have much significance.

– How does this situation reflects on the players – when you are leading and possessing the initiative and then suddenly let in a goal and lose in the penalty shootout? Or, they are grown-ups already and this doesn't reflect on the game?

– Who is grown-ups? Them? They are youth team. Well, anything happens in life – this is football. It happens that you let in on the 80th minute, when you are run out of forces. There's no energy to go forward and score more. And besides, it is threatening with letting in another goal. The match was coming to a draw.

– Have you said anything to the goalkeeper and the players before the penalty shootout?

– No. Here intuition plays, sometimes experience. Nobody needs any additional words. What's the use to be telling "Come on, come on" or anything like that? You can only spoil it.

– Has your team trained the penalty kicks?

– No, when should we have trained it? We had a difficult game before. And we didn't have any possibility to train them, if only in the yard of the hotel. Maybe this affected, too.

– You've let in only two goals in the four matches at the tournament. Are you satisfied with your defense?

– Well, we have scored only two either. This makes worry a bit. This reveals we don't have any central defender. Side defenders play in the centre, and it shows. Neither we have a central midfielder. This year the guys play not on their positions. We don't have any offence player who could perform as a central forward.