Match № 20

The match № 20 group stage, fifth tournament day

ESTONIA – RUSSIA 1:6 (0:1)

January 7th, 2014, St. Petersburg, Peterburgsky SCC, 1700 spectators

Referees: Artyom Lyubimov, Konstantin Averyanov, Pavel Novikov

Estonia: Pechter, Reintal, Kuusk, Juha (Ainsalu, 42), Shlein, Ivanov (Jarva, 46), Sappinen (c), Riiberg, Pjurg (Kaldma, 73), Jakovlev (Paavo, 60), Shkinjov (Andreev, 52)

Head coach: Marko Lelov

Russia: Rudakov, Buranov (Nikolaesh, 62), Novak, Lanin (Frolov, 54), Maximenko, Nasedkin, Belikov (Zuev, 63), Rukas, Cherov (Anisimov, 63), Nesterenko (c) (Marchenko, 54), Ageev (Sheydaev, 62)

Head coach: Dmitry Homukha

Goals: Buranov (5), Rukas (51), Maximenko (55), Jarva (72), Zuev (74), Anisimov (81), Sheydaev (87)

Yellow cards: Sappinen (10), Lanin (6)

Best players: Mjarten Kuusk, Alexander Zuev

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After match comments

Head coach of the team Estonia Marko Lelov:

– I think we played not bad today. Yes, we lost 1:6, but we acted rather well. In the second half our strength came to the end, physical condition leaves much to be desired, but we managed to score the goal. What else we can note positive – we concentrated on defense today. We found out the problems we have. Talking about the whole match, in the first half besides the scoring moment realized by Russia there were many playing actions and the second half we failed.

– You said that you failed second half, but in the second half your team scored and had several sharp moments to score more. May be it would make sense to play the whole match in this manner, but not only with score 0:3?

– If we play the whole match as it was during the score 0:3 or 1:4, I'm afraid that we will lose... 1:20.

– But your goalkeeper showed his best, without him you would have had much more troubles. He let in 6 goals but saved nearly twice more.

– I totally agree with you.

– Your number 11 is remarkable not only with his hairstyle but with his playing as well. At that, he is your youngest player. Is it that he's so gifted? Could you comment his playing?

– We played draw against Slovenia and Moldova, and we think we've got many gifted players in this team. What for this one, I agree with you, he is gifted, but he still has to work hard.

– And how would you comment the playing of the number 17? He showed quite a good performance but you substituted him. What was the reason?

– Unfortunately he lost emotional potential in the second half, so we had to substitute him.

Head coach of the team Russia Dmitry Homukha:

– We decided to make a rotation and put today in the starting composition new players who haven't played in the previous matches. We planned to watch their realization of our tactics which we planned for this game considering our strong and weak points.

– You've made quite a big number of substitutions in a short space of time. Does it mean that team Russia has two equal lineups? In the past three games they both showed a brilliant result.

– I wouldn't say that we have two equal lineups. It is not really right. Here are players who got a possibility to show themselves at this tournament. Some of them succeeded. You see, there's a winter break in our country, so many of the players were at vacations. They had rest and they didn't have time to recover the fit. None of them was prepared 100%, so if we don't rotate the team many of them will come out exhausted in the end. Our task is to distribute the load wisely among the players. And another task is to watch their technics and tactics.

– You've said you put almost new lineup in the start, but you haven't given your view at it. How do you appreciate their playing?

– There are things to be talked about. The score doesn't mean much for us. Surely it is pleasant to win 6:0 or 6:1, but what is more important for us is the contents of the game. In this sense we have some space to grow.

– Anyway, you've made substitutions and it were the players who came to substitutions who have made the result. You had made substitutions on 54th minute and from 55th minute most of the goals happened. Is it that the starting lineup was weaker than the players who came with substitutions or they were simply exhausted?

– There are all facts together. Team of Estonia got tired, our players came fresh and some of them are from the winning team of the European Championship. They know our demands, they know what to do on the pitch, they know how to improve our play. They perfectly showed one more time how one must come to the game with substitutions.

– You've spent three matches on the tournament and won three of them. Do you have enough resources for the semifinal?

– Let's hope that these victories won't relax my team. By the way it is the task of the coaching staff to keep the emotional level of the team. But there is no need in any other motivation. When your team qualifies to the semifinal on the home tournament, I think there is no need in comments.