Match № 20

The match № 20 (quarterfinal), sixth tournament day

RUSSIA – REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA 0:2 (0:0)

January 21st, 2015, St. Petersburg, Peterburgsky SCC, 2500 spectators

Referees: Yevgeniy Turbin, Sergey Karunenko, Yuriy Yarushkin

Russia: Lantratov, Jivoglyadov, Kirisov (Yaschuk, 53), Lisinkov, Guliev (Morgunov, 53), Bukia (c), Makarov, Yakuba, Hodjaniyazov, Kurzenev (Yevseev, 46), Kozlov

Head coach: Nikolay Pisarev

Republic of South Africa: Msibi, Seriba, Mathabela, Madisha (c), Leepile (Boikanyo, 90), Modiba, Farmer, Masiya (Monamodi, 90), Luthuli, Domingo (Ngubo, 46), Lourenco (Maraisane, 46)

Head coach: David Notoane

Goals: Maraisane (50), Luthuli (55)

Yellow card: Seriba (15)

Best players: Temuri Bukia, Dumisani Msibi

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After match comments

Head coach of team Russia Nikolay Pisarev:

– We spent first half with a big territorial advantage and ball possession. We didn't realize our moments and at the beginning of the second half mostly by individual skills the opponent managed to score 2 goals. I won't blame the goalkeeper, we have missed two good strikes and then we had not enough physical conditions to do anything. We couldn't prepare well for this tournament. First time in four years the final will be without team of Russia.

– You have said that you wouldn't blame the goalkeeper; does it mean that defenders have failed?

– Yes, we didn't cover the strikes. Good strikes and opponent's skills are the moments that we have lacked.

– In the first half only the right wing was active in your team. Was it because Kozlov ran just in front of you? Wings have totally stopped in the second half.

– Unfortunately, substitutions failed to improve our play in second half as it was in previous matches. I can repeat it was not our day.

– Please estimate the play of Yevseev. Why didn't he come in the starting line-up, though he was very active on the group stage?

– First of all I thought about improvement of play. Yevseev comes good with substitution. Moreover he is not ready for the whole match, for 90 minutes. Also he is not used to position of forward. I will repeat nothing terrible has happened; it's beginning of preparation to the season in football clubs our players are from. This tournament will be the first stage of preparation for them; also it gives them much information to think about. We gave the possibility to play to all the guys we have brought here. It is also positive. Two more matches are ahead and we will give practice to everybody. The tournament gives much information and it is very good that we participate even in such conditions.

– What are your aims on this tournament now? You are not used to play for 5-8 places.

– Two matches we will play anyway. More information will appear. We will make rotation.

– It was the only first match that you haven't let in the goal and won. In the rest matches you have given advantage to the opponent of 2 goals. Have you trained your players in such a way or it was your hospitality?

– There was no such task. If you have noted, we have given possibility to play to all of our defenders in order to check their skills. We didn't have same lineup even in two matches. Somewhere we lacked team play, somewhere – physical conditions. It is obvious even now that we have lacked "physics" certainly. I have talked to colleagues and most of them had spent training camps before the tournament, we are the only team that didn't have time for preparation. Two trainings and come to fight. It's very hard to ask the players to show their best. However, there's enough of information to consider and we've got to change the way of preparation for the tournament next year.

Head coach of team Republic of South Africa David Notoane:

– It was a very difficult game. The opponent was strong, team Russia is a very good team. It was interesting to play against them, and hard also. But we played very well on passes. We took the strategic position in the centre. We started to play more closely, using two midfielders, for three other players were moved to other positions. I'd note also the substitution of Lourenco for Maraisane. Maraisane has managed to give us more speed, and he brought more creativity in the game. The guys have done well. There were some difficult moments in our penalty area but we defended well. We managed to score two goals and I am very glad.

– Have you won only thanks to the skills of your players and coaches, or there was also the God's will?

– The game was won because of the talents of our players, but I also agree with the second part of your assumption – for talented players are created by God. Besides, football is a game of mistakes. Football punishes for mistakes. We had some mistakes, but the opponent hasn't punished us. And when the opponent made mistakes we punished him.

– You had a game yesterday. Was the first half so inactive today because you spared forces for the second half?

– This was our plan. We had a hard game against team Kazakhstan and we didn't have much energy. We expected the players to get tired and it was difficult to compile the starting lineup. We made seven changes. Russia is a very strong opponent, and you have to be prepared 100% to win them. So we changed the tactics and moved the defenders forward to break the opponent's defense in the second half.

– What do you think, the next match in the semifinals, against Belarus, will be harder, or your team will feel more confident after winning the hosts of the tournament?

– The farther the harder, you may say. And the closer to the final, the stronger opponent is. We consider this tournament as trainings for the youth African Cup, so it's better to play against a strong opponent. We'd like to play against Russia in the final, but we've got what we've got, and I'm happy with my players' victory.