Match № 36

The match № 36, match for the 9th place, ninth tournament day

ESTONIA – CZECH REPUBLIC 0:2 (0:1)

January 11th, 2014, St. Petersburg, Peterburgsky SCC, 300 spectators

Referees: Gennadiy Anoshin, Igor Korotkov, Vladislav Lyashko

Estonia: Pechter, Mjagi, Reintal, Kuusk (c), Juha (Ainsalu, 63), Ivanov, Pjurg, Kaldma (Sappinen, 63), Andreev (Riiberg, 65), Paavo (Jakovlev, 63), Shkinjov (Jarva, 46)

Head coach: Marko Lelov

Czech Republic: Vorel (Nemrava, 46), Honish, Takacz (Toml, 83), Shisha (Suhan, 46), Heleshic, Schick (c), Schotkowski (Mlchak, 63), Kodr, Shural, Kodesh (Kulhanek, 46), Zorvan

Head coach: Miroslav Soukup

Goals: Zorvan (11), Schick (81)

Red cards: Jakovlev (90)

Best players: Irji Kulhanek, Jakub Mlchak

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After match comments

Head coach of the team Estonia Marko Lelov:

– First I'd like to thank the organizers of the tournament. We are satisfied with everything and we like everything. Summing up, we've accomplished the goals we had set. We've watched all the players, analyzed the game and now we know how to work with them. And of course we can't put aside our result. We must be very glad with it, for, considering the whole tournament we left Ukraine and Finland behind (smiling). Revising today's game, our aim was balanced playing and no missed goals, but we failed with it. The second goal was also our fault, for the players acted wrong in that episode. The positive side is that the players who came for substitutions could enliven the game. And we even had moments when we could have laboured out a goal. But we are still forming and teaching the team. We need to teach them how to play the football we want them to play.

– Previous matches of today were rather bright, there was much fighting, even bones cracking literally. Your match was not to say uninteresting but somehow academically, though you were fighting for higher places than those who played before you.

– If you play five games in ten days how will you feel? Of course there's tiredness.

– Can I ask you a jocular question? Czech Republic didn't play against Slovakia – its principal opponent, so I won't ask them, but you beat your principal opponent – Finland. So, the main aim for the tournament is obtained?

– Oh yes. More than that, we are higher than Ukraine as well, so two aims for the tournament are obtained.

Head coach of the team Czech Republic Miroslav Soukup:

– I can analyze this match from two sides. Firstly, the score is 2:0 and I'm satisfied with it. But the quality of the game, especially offence, is very disappointing. We had to score in the first half two or three goals. I can't count how many 100% scoring chances we have failed, but it is terrible. On the other hand I'm happy with the progress of my team: we improve our game step by step. There is a negative moment: we used to be in the list of the eight strongest teams, but now we are the ninth. So it is the result of the tournament and we go home with it.

– Your match against Estonia was less interesting comparing with the matches for lower places, from 15th to 11th . It wasn't boring but it was not of big emotion and explosiveness. Why was it so?

– To my mind, my players accomplished my schemes for 80%. I do not know how should I estimate the other 20%, but we lack the creativity in the attack. We had moments when the striker went one to one and had to score. We struck all the bars, I have counted 3 or 4 such moments. If we used those moments it would be more interesting to watch the game on the tribune. But I will repeat, my players obeyed my instructions. Moreover, Estonians play as Azerbaijan in some moments: they have similar fast strikers. Players with numbers 11 and 9, who came with substitutions, enforced the playing of our opponents. But our defenders didn't make big mistakes and I think they played a very good match.