Match № 9

The match № 9 (first group stage), second tournament day

SLOVENIA – BULGARIA 1:0 (1:0)

January 4th, 2015, St. Petersburg, Peterburgsky SCC, 300 spectators

Referees: Gennady Anoschin, Ilya Ivanov, Rodionov Alexander

Slovenia: Vodisec, Dedic (c) (Florjanc, 90), Klemencic, Ahec, Ivkic, Elsnik (Hajdarevic, 90), Repas (Tijanic, 54), Mrkonja (Omerovic, 86), Zuzek (Marinic, 72), Skrbec, Orginec

Head coach: Igor Benedejcic

Bulgaria: Gospodinov, Gushlev, Kupenov (Kirilov, 84), Kerchev, Maksimov, Minkov (Dimitrov, 88), Georgiev (c), Alichkov, Tsvyatkov (Penchev, 62), Ivanov, Ignatov (Iliev, 62)

Head coach: Aleksandar Georgiev

Goal: Repas (36)

Yellow cards: Skrbec (8), Georgiev (85)

Red card: Skrbec (79)

Best players: Elsnik Timi Max, Nikolay Minkov

After match comments

Head coach of team Slovenia Igor Benedejcic:

– We had a very good match against strong team of Bulgaria. Preparation was favorable for us: we saw the match Bulgaria – Kazakhstan and tried to eliminate their advantages. This analysis helped us to win today.

– For the whole match head coach of your team was giving instructions to the players. Especially he often told something to №10 – Jan Zuzek, what did he demand?

– We use play scheme with single player under the forward and this person is Jan Zuzek. Some moments he had troubles with his position and the coach asked him to play "higher" in order to prevent beginning of Bulgarian attacks.

– The player №7 Timi Elsnik showed good performance today. In first half he played on the left wing but in the second turned to play on the right and also was active there.

– I will explain. Elsnik is one year younger than the others and he was taken from team of 16 years old players. He plays on the right wing there and this position is more comfortable for him. We put him on the left wing because Bulgarian team has a good defender there to support the attack – and our player showed his best.

Head coach of team Bulgaria Aleksandar Georgiev:

– I am very disappointed that we've lost. Congratilations to the team of Slovenia with a victory. Still, with undoubtfull advantages of that great team, I should say that we haven't deserve to lose today. The game itself can be devided to two parts with the first one we failed to accomplish and I know why. During 10 days before the tournament team did not train, then we moved to Saint Petersburg with the only one day left for the preparation. In contrary to Slovenians, we played the first game in the tournament. Thus, not all the players were well prepared, that became obvious at the beginning of the today's game. But at the second half we were managed to focus, to speed up and to create 3-4 scoring moments. At the end we played va-bank, but failed to succeed. That is very sad.

– Even the goalkeeper took part during the last corner next to the goal of Slovenian team. Was it your initiative?

–Yes it was. We had nothing to lose, then. But still, unfortunately the goalkeeper haven't heard me when I asked him to come close to the Slovenian goalkeeper, to try create a hindrance.

– At the end of the game you were about to substitute the captain of the team (your namesake), but after a short talk you changed your decision and removed another player.

– Exactly. Alexandar told me that he is ready to play further, so I substituted the defender. Georgiev is extremely important player for our team, he is always ready to create moments for himself and his partners, and he proved it at the end of the game. Previously, I've trained another youth national team (that is my first year here), but it's been a lot I followed this squad so I know it's main issue – low effectiveness. That is the one we are working on.