KYRGYZSTAN – ESTONIA 0:0 pen. 1:4

January 23rd, 2016, St. Petersburg, Peterburgsky SCC, 1500 spectators

Best players: Farkhat Musabekov, Magnus Karofeld

Post match comments

Igor Kudrenko, acting Head coach of team Kyrgyzstan:

– The match was good, worthy of a "small final". Unfortunately we didn't manage to convert our scoring moments, though we had all the opportunities. Well, and the penalty shots are a matter of accident, as everybody knows! I want to congratulate team Estonia with the third place at the Commonwealth Cup.

– Today you were forced to head the team. Did the head coach give you any instructions before leaving?

– Yes, our head coach Mirlan Eshenov left for Kyrgyzstan by family reasons. Of course he had been preparing the team for this game and for the tournament in the whole. So naturally we didn't change anything. We just tried to fulfill his instructions and to keep his schemes, playing higher and acting more aggressively. The guys did what they could, I can't reproach anyone. Mistakes they made came only from overall fatigue.

– Team Estonia gave up the initiative in this match. Was it difficult to break through their defense?

– I wouldn't say that Estonians were playing only from defense. They were also attacking and created density in every zone of the pitch. There are no easy teams on the tournament. Every team is of nearly the same level.

– Do you have new candidates for the first national team in your squad appearing as a result of the tournament?

– Yes, we have three such players. Their performance at the Commonwealth Cup has only confirmed their level.

– Were you preparing for the penalty series?

– No, we were not. I've already said that penalties series is a lottery. And regarding your opinion that the guys did not do well taking penalties, justifying them, I can say that they spent all their energy in the game. They must have had zero resources left.

Martin Reim, Head coach of team Estonia:

– Thank you very much for your congratulations! I would like to thank everyone who was a part of our win. However, if you were following our team, you might have noticed that we were becoming worse and worse with every match. This happens in football, we got tired. One could see that the opponents were aiming at a win creating a lot of chances. But there was a guy who had other plans. It was our goalkeeper who made several saves. The rest of the team also did well. But to be honest, the strikers started to bring more troubles to Kyrgyzstan only in the last fifteen minutes. In any case, this is all in the past now. I am very happy that for the first time in our history we managed to take a prize place on the Commonwealth Cup.

– Why wasn't your team progressing during the tournament?

– I kept repeating on each press-conference that our team had got together only in December. For the moment it's early to play on such a level. That's why they are unstable now.

– As we understand you were planning to send Kauber in anyway, but you had to do this earlier. Are we right?

– You're absolutely right. Kevin is one of our leaders, but I sent him in earlier, because another player got injured.

– Avilov was sent off today. Is there a fine for this?

– No, we don't have any system of fines. We have internal regulations for the team and we try to follow them. We don't have a goal to punish anyone. We are all professionals.