Match № 39

The match № 39 (for the 13th place)

MOLDOVA – GREECE 0:1 (0:0)

January 11th, 2015, St. Petersburg, SC Zenit, 350 spectators

Referees: Artyom Lyubimov, Aleksandr Vistunov, Aleksandr Ivanov

Moldova: Cebotari N., Andriuhin, Ciornii, Apostol, Bejenari (c) (Cebotari Iu., 58), Cobet (Caruntu, 54), Matei, Gustiuc, Mardari (Cioka, 84) Mandricenco, Urvantev (Gorban, 74)

Head coach: Ghenadie Pusca

Greece: Ntounis, Giataganakis, Svarnas, Patralis, Angelopoulos (c), Regkakos (Kesidis, 90), Lamprou, Melissopoulos, Tzinovits, Retsos, Plegas (Gkrosios, 73)

Head coach: Ioannis Goumas

Goal: Retsos (77)

Yellow cards: Plegas (9), Urvantev (16), Apostol (52), Regkakos (60), Cebotari Iu. (68), Lamprou (68)

Best players: Feodor Andriuhin, Georgios Karakoutis

After match comments

Head coach of team Moldova Ghenadie Pusca:

– It was a very good game. The Greeks have put it on a high pace. It's hard to play five matches in a row. Though, all the teams are in equal conditions. I'm satisfied with the actions and devotion of my players, as well as with the game in a whole. Except one foolish mistake. Actually we've lost because of it. We may have brought it to the penalty shoot out and perhaps win. But we did have scoring moments in the course of the match itself.

– Have you been training the penalty kicks?

– No, we haven't. We just had no time and possibility. In our situation we had to give the guys more time to recover.

– Watching you team's playing one could have an impression that the task was to deliver the ball to the number 11, Matei.

– The Greeks are a very strong team. So we have chosen tactics of playing from defense with rapid switches to counter attacks. And Matei was to keep the ball and then act as the situation demanded. You could see yourself whether the defenders of the Greeks were allowing this or not.

– The beginning of the game was won by the Greeks. Were you prepared for that?

– Surely we expected a pressing in the beginning. I warned my players about it, I told them that the Greeks would try to play in an aggressive manner at start and to score a fast goal. My guys could cope with it and the game leveled by the 20th minute.

– The tournament is over. What is the main outcome for team Moldova?

– Leaving aside the game against team Lithuania, in general I'm satisfied. The rating may not completely correspond our level, for I believe our team could have taken a higher position. I'm satisfied with our performance. Our team has a progress!

Head coach of team Greece Ioannis Goumas:

– We were ready that team Moldova would keep to the defensive scenario. As far as I can see they counted on the win in penalty shootout. But we were stronger than their plans. So I'm satisfied with the game.

– Have we taken it right that you counted on a fast goal in the beginning?

– Yes, you are quite right. We tried to score a fast goal because team Moldova would have opened their positions at once. We could have got some scoring moments, or, open areas for attacking. But it hasn't happened. The opponents have locked in defense. So we could score only once at the end of the match.

– So, you find it easier to play open football than to play against teams which keep to defensive tactics?

– No. We have experience of playing against different teams, so there's no difference for us. We prepare for each game individually.

– Why did it happen that the award "The Best Player of the Match" went to the player who didn't take part in the game?

– The matter is that Karakoutis had an accident last game: he broke his leg and is unable to aid the team so far. We wanted to encourage him with this award, to raise his moods and to show that we are one team!