Match № 13

The match № 13 (first group stage), third tournament day

KAZAKHSTAN – SLOVENIA 0:1 (0:1)

January 5th, 2015, St. Petersburg, 300 spectators

Referees: Ivan Sidenkov, Aleksandr Zakharov, Roman Milevskiy

Kazakhstan: Grubov, Muftolla, Tinibek, Luhay (Smailov, 77), Gladchenko (c) (Abdezh, 89), Vasiliev (Makuov), Slambekov (Kuanishbay, 84), Kotov (Mameshev, 60), Andreev, Kambil, Oralbay (Mirsalimbaev, 71)

Head coach: Sergey Tagiev

Slovenia: Vodisek, Dedic (c) (Kavcic, 88), Klemencic (Florjanc, 77), Ahec (Hajdarevic, 88), Ivkic, Elsnik, Mrkonja, Zuzek, Omerovic (Marinic, 54), Tijanic (Repas, 77), Ogrinec

Head coach: Igor Benedejcic

Goal: Zuzek (43, pen.)

Yellow cards: Kambil (69), Mirsalimbaev (76), Ogrinec (58)

Best players: Meirjan Kambil, Zan Zuzek

After match comments

Head coach of team Kazakhstan Sergey Tagiev:

– Comparing with the previous match this one was completely different. The day before yesterday we lost because of the mistakes in defense. Today our team was better and much more confident. We had scoring moments and we could have scored, but we got a penalty kick instead. I cannot judge whether there was a real fault or not.

– At previous tournaments team of Kazakhstan had leaders in the lineup and showed quite a bright playing. What is about this year: have you got any talents in the lineup?

– We surely have talents, though I wouldn't like to name them until the end of the tournament. Our team has a good staff in midfield and offence lines.

– Unlike your opponent you had a recovering day yesterday. How did you spend it?

– Yesterday we were recovering after the match against team of Bulgaria. We had some theoretical studies in the evening and watched the opponents' recordings.

– Two games, two losses. Can you say the group stage at this tournament is unsuccessful for you?

– There's little to be joyful about, of course. But our main task at the tournament is to let the guys get into the swing, to make them be confident in their forces. Our team has potential.

Head coach of team Slovenia Igor Benedejcic:

– It was a hard game. But we expected it to be so. Team Kazakhstan is a strong and difficult opponent. Preparing for the game we watched video recordings of their playing. We knew they were strong in half-backs. And we considered it.

– Was it a big challenge for you to play two games in two days?

– Well, there was no surprise for us. It was difficult but it is normal. In the second half our players were even better and showed a good football, and that's the main thing.

– It seemed your team succeeded standard kicks. Was it specially trained?

– No, it wasn't (smiling cunningly). And we didn't have time for special trainings. This is our players' individual techniques.

– Traditional question: what aims did you set for the tournament?

– I suppose, they are the same with my colleagues. We are not striving to gain the result, we need to watch our team. Our main aim now is a good performance at the European qualifications. Some players couldn't come to St. Petersburg because of injuries, two strikers among them. Besides, I am training the 1998 y.o.b. team. Maybe I will take some guys from it to Europe.