Ahead of the U-17 Asian Cup Final, Ismailov Says: “We’re Not Afraid, We’re Playing to Win!”

Uzbekistan U-17 head coach Islambek Ismoilov and player Sayfiddin Sodiqov attended the press conference ahead of the final match.

Ismailov: “The main goal — to make our people proud”

“Playing in the final is fantastic, we worked hard as a team to get here. Saudi Arabia is one of the strongest teams. We've faced them several times. But a final is a final — it's a huge responsibility. Both teams want to lift the trophy. Our main goal is to win tomorrow and make our people proud,” said Ismailov.

On preparation for the final

— We prepare specifically for each match. There are no easy games at this tournament. The final will also be tough, especially mentally. We’re doing everything we can to prepare the players in the best way possible. Thankfully, no one is injured — all players are ready. We hope our team puts on one of its best performances tomorrow and wins.

On the team’s mental state before the final

— We respect our opponents, but we fear no one. We have our own style and want to win with confident, beautiful football. That’s what we’ve been telling our players. Before the match against North Korea, we also focused more on mental preparation. At this age, mindset can change quickly. In football, no situation ever repeats itself. We’re forgetting the past results and aiming for victory in the biggest match.

Sodiqov: “We were nervous at the start, but now we feel confident”

“Tomorrow’s opponent is Saudi Arabia. We played them in the group stage and know them well. That win won’t make us complacent. We are fully prepared mentally and physically. At the beginning, there was some nervousness, but game by game we grew in confidence thanks to our coaches. We want to win and bring the trophy home,” said Sayfiddin Sodiqov.

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