Match № 11

The match № 11 (first group stage), second tournament day

FINLAND – KOREAN REPUBLIC 1:1 (1:0)

January 4th, 2015, St. Petersburg,  1500 spectators

Referees: Alexey Avtukhovich, Vladislav Lyashko, Alexander Zakharov

Finlandia: Mikkelsson, Pitkanen, Halme, Jakonen (N'Sombo, 46), Haglund (Ala-Myllymaki, 75), Lingman (Untamala, 79), Laatikainen (c), Jalli, Hamalainen, Sjostedt (Lehtonen, 59), Kairinen

Head coach: Jarkko Wiss

Korean Republic: Song, Kwon (Byun, 73), Kim M., Kim S., Na, Han C. (Daewon, 65), Kang, Choe (Lim, 26), Shin (Woo, 59), Lee J., Lee D.(c) (Han B., 72)

Head coach: An Iksoo

Goals: Haglund (14), Jihun (89)

Yellow card: Jihun (71)

Best players: Lucas Lingman, Kang Jihun

After match comments

Head coach of team Finland Jarkko Wiss:

– I think everybody who saw this match liked it. I have very good impressions after the game, in spite of losing the victory at the very end. The draw is fair, both teams were worth each other. One more positive moment in this game – we had opportunity to play with asian team, their style differs from ours. It is very useful and unvaluable experience for us.

– According to your rough emotions you wanted to win very much. Could it be more useful not to make so many substitutions in the second half, it is really hard to enter such strain match?

– We wanted to win, for sure. On the other hand, I needed to check as many players as I can in such hard game.

– One of your players missed this match because of injury, that he got yesterday. How serious is it?

– I can't say for sure. He got two painful kicks... He needs medical examination.

Head coach of team Korea Republic An Iksoo:

– For the first, I want to thank the organizers of the tournament for invitation of our team. We have received it with pleasure. For the second, I want to join to the words of my colleague and also note that it was a good match of two worthy opponents today. It became very useful and necessary for us. Team of Finland proved to be a very creative team on the pitch. If we can take this creativity and add to it our technical skills – there will be very interesting experience.

– Korean team managed to level the score on last minutes of the match, showed its strong character and will. Even players of such a young age have this qualities!

– I appreciate your estimation of our team.

– In a moment before the scored goal there was a sigh of disappointment on the tribune – the audience thought that your player failed the chance... Fortunately it was a goal with the help of ricochet. What emotions did you have at that very moment?

– The most important thing that the goal was scored, everything else is unessential. Our players showed their character and did not give up till the very end, that was the fact I liked the most of all.