Match № 34

The match № 34 (the Final), tenth tournament day

REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA – FINLAND 2:1 (1:1)

January 25th, 2015, St. Petersburg, Peterburgsky SCC, 2500 spectators

Referees: Aleksey Sukhoi, Rashid Abusuyev, Egor Bolhovitin

Republic of South Africa: Msibi, Seriba, Madisha (c), leepile, Ngubo, Maraisane, Modiba, Farmer, Boikanyo (Domingo, 67), Masiya (Mathabela, 84), Luthuli

Head coach: David Notoane

Finland: Eriksson, Hatakka, Viitikko (Saarinen, 90), Yaghoubi (c), Lassas, Hovi, Voutilainen (Nurmos, 84), Anyamele, Hradecky (Taylor, 63), Ojala (Soiri, 34; Tuominen, 73), Rahimi (Tamminen, 34; Aaltonen, 82)

Head coach: Tommi Kautonen

Goals: Madisha (15), Tamminen (38), Maraisane (78)

Yellow cards: Seriba (60), Viitikko (82), Hovi (87), Yaghoubi (88)

Best players: Maphosa Modiba, Moshtagh Yaghoubi

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After match comments

Head coach of team Republic of South Africa David Notoane:

– THANK YOU VERY MUCH! (in Russian). We are really happy. It was very worthy victory in a tough and tactically strong game. I'm glad that first time we come to Russia we managed to become champions of this tournament.

– Do you use motto of Caesar: came, saw and won?

– It turns out that yes (smiling). When we were going to St.Petersburg, we knew nothing about a country, city and Commonwealth Cup. The only thing we knew that it is a very tough tournament. We are thankful to your country, to organizers for this brilliant opportunity to prepare for the African Youth Cup of Nations.

– How was it useful to prepare for the African Cup playing with Europeans teams?

– If you look on the matches of this tournament you will see different tactical schemes. Our today's opponent team of Finland made tactical changes during the whole match and we had to answer it. It was very important for me to see how fast my players can change the scheme in the game, how fast they take their decisions. The same was in the match with Kazakhstan. Each team on this tournament has its own way of play, its own tactical picture and we adapted to it. So I repeat this tournament is very useful for us.

– There was an impression that after the final whistle you were the only person who stood on the pitch without any emotions for several seconds. Were you upset because you ran out of time to make the last substitution?

– I only seemed so. I was not sad for sure. Every person feels everything in its own way. I was exhausted by the match. As for substitution, it was an attempt of a common tactical change. I wanted to spoil some time with it because the team of Finland was pressing hard and anything could happen even in 10 last seconds.

– You are newcomers of Commonwealth Cup. Will you come here next year?

– I can't stop repeating that this tournament is very useful and important for us from the sport point of view. It is a good opportunity for African football to show itself. For sure I would like the Commonwealth Cup to be included in our program of preparation. But you must realize that this is a question of officials. Much depends on money and it is better to ask our Federation about it.

Head coach of team Finland Tommi Kautonen:

– Of course we wanted to win and now are very disappointed. I think my guys have shown everything they could. They played well, and they proved their high desire to win. We had a couple of chances to make a draw and get the penalty shoot-out but we haven't managed to realize them. But I'm satisfied with their playing; they couldn't give more than they gave. It's a big tournament where winning is great and losing is sad. But one should have lost. So I want to congratulate our opponent – this is a really honourable victory.

– In the middle of the second half you brilliantly stopped the ball out the sideline showing your fine football fit. Are you a high-quality player yourself?

– I like humour. As you could see I'm really a technical player. (smiling)

– If you had been told before the tournament that you would take the second place would you have been satisfied with it?

– Maybe. I've told already that this is a brilliant tournament and very useful for the development of individual techniques of our players. And, as I've said previously, we get lots of information to work at. We can give a feedback to the clubs where the players are from to give them material for development.

– Your team is newcomer at the Commonwealth Cup. Can you say this tournament is what you need for preparation for your football season and you will come again if you are invited?

– I strongly hope we will be invited again. As I've said the tournament is brilliant for our development, and we have next European qualifications in September, so it was really important for us to prepare and to build up the team.

– What was the reason of the double substitution in the first half; moreover you have substituted the both players back? And what had happened to Pyry Soiri, how does he feel now?

– The reason of the substitutions was that I was not satisfied with my player's actions. They didn't move and they didn't participate in the defense. That was the main reason. What for Soiri, his back was hurt and we had to substitute him. And his feelings now are disappointment, as the of whole team.

– Unlike your colleague you didn't participate in the coach tournament. May this be one of the reasons of the defeat? David tried the pitch and you didn't.

– I really didn't come to that fine tournament, but I had a reason for that. I was enjoying the sites of your marvelous city on a sightseeing tour. We could take a look at the marvelous architecture of your magnificent city.