Match № 25

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

KAZAKHSTAN – RUSSIA 0:3 (0:0)

January 23rd, 2015, St. Petersburg, Peterburgsky SCC, 300 spectators

Referees: Roman Galimov, Rashid Abusuev, Egor Bolhovitin

Kazakhstan: Pavlov, Aslan (c), Sartakov, Uzdenov (Khalezov, 59), Rudoselsky, Djalilov, Tungyshbaev, Shaikhov, Aimbetov (Sariev, 64), Khairullin (Suley, 73), Rodionov (Antipov, 80)

Head coach: Saulius Sirmelis

Russia: Lantratov, Jivoglyadov (Fomin, 83), Kirisov (Yaschuk, 53), Ovsyannikov, Guliev (Morgunov, 73), Bukia (c), Makarov, Yakuba, Hodjaniyazov, Kurzenev (Yevseev, 31), Kozlov (Bogaev, 68)

Head coach: Nikolay Pisarev

Goals: Yevseev (48, pen.; 81, pen.), Guliev (72)

Yellow cards: Tungysbaev (50), Guliev (69), Rudoselsky (79), Sariev (80)

Best players: Raphkat Aslan, Vladislav Ovsyannikov

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After match comments

Head coach of team Kazakhstan Saulius Sirmelis:

– It's the fifth match in these seven days. We are gradually running out of strength. Three players from the first team have finished the tournament: somebody due to injury, somebody due to the flue. It seems at this stage of the tournament the team with a longer bench wins. Our team does not distinguish by any special physical conditions, so everything we can demonstrate is our will and our character. This was what today's game showed. Our morals were quite heavily put down by the match against team Belarus where we were as close to participating in the semifinal as never. And today we were playing suppressing fatigue: legs don't move and heads don't think. You'll never win only on your character. A coach must have some leverage. Today I haven't had one.

– You've talked about trainings arranged before the Commonwealth Cup. Could you tell us more?

– First time we gathered for trainings in November. But it was more a check of physical condition. For trainings and testing matches we went to Turkey on January, 5. A week and a half we were training hard for the tournament with two testing matches: one against Turkey and another against Eintracht (U-20). Our principal problem is absence of players who have played on the central positions in their clubs: no one central forward, central midfielder, or central defender. All our players are side players. So my task here is reorganizing the players' positions.

– Usually teams playing on the Commonwealth Cup against team Russia cede the initiative to the home team in advance. You went forward from the first minutes. Was there any risk in doing so?

– You see, a favourite is a favourite only on paper. The real power balance becomes clear on the field, after the starting whistle. Yes, you should always respect the opponent, give a correct estimation to his strengths but not to be afraid of him. The more, Russia is not too successful on this tournament. So I don't divide the teams into favourites and outsiders.

Head coach of team Russia Nikolay Pisarev:

– The mood in the team after the last match was not so good. For sure guys were upset. We were afraid of today's game, feared not to set up players for it correctly. So I'm happy that they came to preparation for this match with full responsibility and played with a high discipline. I have to note the play of our opponents, especially in the first half. The game was going till the first goal. We were luckier and scored first. Unlike the previous match we managed to score our moments today.

– Opponents of Russian team play from defense very often, letting you advantage in advance. What is more difficult to play with team of defensive style or with team who demonstrates "open football"?

– For sure, it is harder against defensive style. The most difficult is to break the saturated defense. Fans for sure like the "open football". It is better for me as a coach to play against team that does no stay with a full squad in penalty area.

– The tournament is about to be finished. Can you make some preliminary conclusions?

– I'm satisfied with devotion and discipline in the team. I think that we were totally unlucky on the tournament. I remember the last match with the RSA one more time. Just imagine that strikes ratio was 23-7 in our advance. Yes, the team of RSA has scored two beautiful goals, but we dominated on the pitch. We had a desire, players rushed forward, but sometimes it happens in football. Moreover, I'm sure that team still can improve. Most of the football clubs have training camps these days and players that are now in national team must compensate those trainings by our matches. The main aim for them is to get to the lineup, to the starting lists of their teams. They don't have to sit on the bench! We give them possibility here to get the conditions by attending international matches, what can be better?

– How does Kozlov feel after the injury?

– He is OK. He has a small bruise that was the reason for substitution. But he will be ready to the next game.