Match № 29

The match № 29 (for the 11th place), ninth tournament day

ESTONIA – LITHUANIA 2:1 (0:1)

January 24th, 2015, St. Petersburg, Peterburgsky SCC, 300 spectators

Referees: Anton Anopa, Pavel Evstafiadi, Yuriy Yarushkin

Estonia: Aland, Vihmann, Aloe, Tekko (Peetson, 46), Saarts (Kirss, 36), Kauber (Paur, 80), Marin (Gussev, 46), Sappinen (c), Juhkam, Suurpere (Sobtsenko, 46), Magi (Purg, 90)

Head coach: Martin Reim

Lithuania: Gertmonas, Krasnovskis, Krusnauskas, Gaspuitis, Armanavicius (Vitukynas, 63), Bucma, Janusevskij (c), Malinauskas, Ganusauskas (Skripkinas, 63), Urbis Sig., Raziunas

Head coach: Arminas Narbekovas

Goals: Malinauskas (36), Sappinen (55), Gussev (77)

Yellow card: Bucma (52)

Best players: Rauno Sappinen, Malinauskas Povilas

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After match comments

Head coach of team Estonia Martin Reim:

– This game became a real trial for both teams. It was fifth match on the tournament. It was obvious that tiredness was not only in feet but in heads also. Probably we were fresher a bit and could win earlier. All participants of this tournament are nearly equal and there are draws and scores with minimal advantage very often. We began competition with the match against Finland and lost 1:2 at the very end but now they are in the Final.

– You have changed the starting lineup for this game totally. What was the reason of it – experiment?

– We always use one model of the game. We planned before the tournament that we would try to spread the load among all the players. Even if someone make mistakes I will give him another chance to show himself, correct it and get playing practice. They have to improve. There was a turn for those players who have come to the pitch today. Moreover we have called reserved goalkeeper. You know that our main goalkeeper got the red card last match and has the suspension, that is why yesterday we called another goalkeeper from Estonia.

– Tournament is over for you. Can you conclude it?

– Probably, it is not the best time for us to play football but it is a good experience and practice, good opportunity to play with perfect teams-opponents. It is useful and convenient for us. We have checked all the players we have brought, we saw the advantages and faults, the points we have to improve. The defeats here do not always mean the loss, it is a material for correction work.

Head coach of team Lithuania Arminas Narbekovas:

– It's obvious that in the course of the tournament our team can only play one half. It results the same for this match. That's where all our fails come from.

– How do you feel? We didn't hear you from the coach area today.

– I'm OK, though I still may fall ill (joking). And seriously, there are no emotions to help. I'm tired of getting nervous, I let the others be nervous. Sometimes the assistants need practice, too. And the guys... what can I say about them? Failing to win 4 to 1 is already a catastrophe.

– Some organizational conclusions will follow?

– Sure! Almost all of the players knew still a month ago that they will be summoned to play for the national team. Some of them haven't even taken the labour to prepare properly for the tournament. That won't go! Who is to be doing that? Should I be preparing for them? Coming on a tournament of this level without preparation is a suicide. So, we'll have many new players in the following team's games.

– Do you have a wide choice?

– Surely we have. I've told that we have 6 mercenaries and 4 players in Lithuania who were not allowed to go by their clubs. So I have nearly a full new first team.

– Arminas, would you draw some conclusions to your team's performance?

– I'm glad there are only 12 teams on the tournament; otherwise we could have taken a lower place (joking again). Of course the tournament is of great use. Now we know for whom the doors of our team close and who will go on with us. We are facing the qualifications. We will remake the lineup and I hope the victories will come.

– You started playing at the tournament with a draw with the RSA which has come to the Final. Could you have thought that this tournament will be unfortunate for you?

– Well, Estonia also started with a finalist, and also not bad. That's the beginning of our football season. The players are just not ready. We've lost all the matches on the last 15 minutes. But the guys are grown-ups already. The conditions are equal and the playing time is always two halves 45 minutes each.