Match № 32

The match № 32, play-off round, eighth tournament day

RUSSIA – SLOVAKIA 3:1 (1:1)

January 10th, 2014, St. Petersburg, Peterburgsky SCC, 4000 spectators

Referees: Stanislav Vasilyev, Kirill Bolshakov, Igor Sukharyonok

Russia: Kuznetsov, Nikolaesh, Marchenko (Rukas, 34), Buranov, Novak, Guliev (c) (Lanin, 76), Anisimov (Cherov, 65), Belikov (Maximenko 76), Sheydaev, Nesterenko (Frolov, 69), Zuev (Ageev, 64)

Head coach: Dmitry Homukha

Slovakia: Semanko, Vavro, Slaninka (Rajnik, 55), Kotrik (Chvatal, 73), Vodezcky, Kacher (Lovas, 63), Gric (Berejny, 84), Shpalek (Vlchek, 55), Siplak, Kupec, Haraslin (c)

Head coach: Milan Malatinsky

Goals: Haraslin (14, pen.), Zuev (21), Gulilev (46, 66)

Yellow cards: Guliev (14), Marchenko (29)

Best players: Ajas Guliev, Shimon Kupec

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After match comments

Head coach of the team Russia Dmitry Homukha:

– Once again I have to state that mentality of our players is still not quite professional. The group stage passed quite easy and many of them decided the semifinal will be the same. Hard though we tried to convince them in the opposite their underattitude showed in the game. And that's what worries us most of all.

– Can you comment the playing of Guliev? You were unsatisfied with him during the whole first half. He caused the penalty kick and got a yellow card, and he could get the second one. But after the break he transformed and scored at once, and he could score second time, and scored, a bit later though. And you chose him the best player of the match.

– I emphasized the fact that Slovakia is a very serious opponent, and the people who play in the first team must take the leadership and lead the team forward. These were the words I had to repeat in the interval. And I told them it wouldn't be easy. Slovakia is a fighting team with a character, and if in the second half you don't apply the maximum efforts you will not obtain anything.

– You rotate the lineup quite frequently, and whom of the goalkeepers will you let on the pitch in the final? They both played two matches.

– The functional state of the guys leaves much to be desired, so morals and will come on the foreground. We haven't taken the decision of who will play in the final yet: there will be discussion, and we'll weigh up everything and take the decision. So far we haven't decided.

– You've got six players from Krasnodar FC. Could you give estimation to the work of their Academy and their president Sergey Galitskiy? Or, should such a number of players from Krasnodar be the best estimation itself?

– We'd like to thank the Academy of Krasnodar FC for their letting us take the six players we wanted to watch in the competing regime. It's not often that we can summon so many players from one Academy. Here we could do it and we are very grateful for it.

– Soon, in two weeks, the youth team of Russia will be playing here. Do you have players who might enforce it? as it was last year when Miroslav Lobantsev played at Granatkin Memorial and then at the Commonwealth Cup for the national youth team?

– It's not probable, of course, that any of my players will be playing here in two weeks. First, the age gap is very big, and second, we wouldn't recommend them it because of the enormous load. They are players who are just opening the season. We wouldn't allow them just because of the physiology.

Head coach of the team Slovakia Milan Malatinsky:

– I want to congratulate the coach of Russia with the victory, they were better than we and it is obvious, Russia is the champion of Europe in this age. It was an honor for us to play against them. It was clear in the game than they played better, we tried to fight till the end, but we were more exhausted. We will shout for Russia in the final with Japan.

– When you had scored the goal, haven't you got the idea to fall back to defense and play more strictly, trying to catch the opponent with counter attacks? Or was it far from over for such tactics?

– Players had the task to go forward and make offense near the opponent's goal area, but there was no strengths for it. Players worked wrong, not by the coach's scheme. We had big gaps between the lines. Players asked for substitutions and we made them but the tactics changed not in the way we wanted. It was really hard for players, they are really exhausted, but we are in the quad of the strongest teams and we are very happy with it.

– You are happy being in the quad of the strongest, but did you satisfy your ambitions? Didn't you want to fight in the Final?

–We get what we could get. When you are in the t-shirt of your national team, there is only one aim – to win. When you go for the tournament in the staff of national team – you go to win. We had very strong squads against us and we were beaten by one of them. But we lost with dignity. Next match we will fight for the victory again, because we represent Slovakia and play for it.