Match № 42

The match № 42 (for the 7th place)

BULAGRIA – JAPAN 0:3 (0:2)

January 11th, 2015, St. Petersburg, Peterburgsky SCC, 300 spectators

Referees: Evgeniy Kukulyak, Aleksey Manin, Ilya Ivanov

Bulgaria: Mihaylov, Kupenov, Kechev, Maksimov, Minkov, Georgiev (c), Alichkov (Dimitrov, 89), Tsvyatkov (Iliev, 78), Ivanov, Petrov (Burov, 86), Kirilov (Ignatov, 46)

Head coach: Aleksandar Georgiev

Japan: Kojima (Abe, 82), Nakayama, Itakura (Syouji, 78), Urata (Noda, 78), Miyoshi (Kobayashi, 63), Kubota (Morishima, 73), Ogawa, Naganuma (Sugimori, 57), Kishimoto, Sasaki, Sakai (c)

Head coach: Atsushi Uchiyama

Goals: Miyoshi (14), Ogawa (18), Kishimoto (71)

Best players: Angel Maksimov, Daisuke Sakai

After match comments

Head coach of team Bulgaria:

– Just right before the game the problem has occured. Our right defender got sick and we needed to substitute him. It was his zone where all the sharp moments were created with two scored balls. The player that changed him has never played right defender. He is central. Thus, Japanese players rapidly understood the situation and attacked on that wing. Plus, the second half accumulated the exhaustion; still we had two moments we could score. And if we did it, the game could be the different one. But it didn't happen and we failed to cover zone on the right wing and we failed to realize moments. However, Japanese team is very strong and I want to congratulate them. It is always interesting to play with them.

– By 20th minute you were losing 0:2. Were players not ready mentally for that kind of kicks or it was difficult to get back to the game?

– That was a very good moment for mental practice. And I am satisfied with my players managed to undertake it and kept on playing. However the opponent succeeded and squeezed us to the goal. We moved them back then, started to create moments and it is sad we didn't score.

– Estimate the tournament and your participation.

– It's been a while our team gathered. Thus, the tournament showed us the issues we need to work on, how to prepare guys mentally and which tactics to chose. Still, we had good moments and games, and the tournament gives only positive emotions.

Head coach of team Japan Atsushi Uchiyama:

– Last match we spent was two days ago. The time we had after it we used for recovering, not only physical, but also emotional. We went sightseeing. As for the game, our players have begun to understand our concept. They do what we ask them, as the result the match was successful.

– A question in continuation of the theme of recovering: today your team was much slower than we have used to. It is not a tiredness, is it a different tactics?

– Our guys have recovered well, but this game we concentrated on fast decisions, but not the fast speed of players. We wanted them to think faster, to make faster passes and they managed to do it.

– What have prevented you from taking higher final places on the tournament? What aims do you put for future for your team?

– For sure first defeat spoiled our perspectives. As for the aims, we need to work with last stage of attack. There are plenty of work not only in last strikes but also in last passes that precede it. The most important point is the quality of these last passes.

– Number 7 of your team Miyoshi got the nickname "Messi" among the journalists. To your mind, does he have potential to reach the same level as Argentinian?

– He has a potential for sure. He plays wel with his left foot. I must say that last year he got injured and his performance on this tournament is not his 100%. Miyoshi is coming back step by step and improves.

– Please estimate the Memorial in general for your team?

– We participate this tournament for the second time, we were here last year. On more time we have been convinced that it is a well-organized tournament of a high level. It is useful for us because it gives much experience to our players. As for our performance here, we are disappointed with the first match. But then our players could recover and improved from game to game.