Sergey Lushan spoke after the defeat to Qizilqum

The Super League Round 8 match between Qizilqum and Navbahor (3:2) was intense and full of action. The win went to the home side. After the match, Sergey Lushan, head coach of the Namangan team, attended the press conference and shared not only his analysis of the game but also spoke openly about his team’s mental readiness and overall performance level.

“Qizilqum used their chances effectively”

“First of all, I want to congratulate the team from Navoi on the victory. The stadium is excellent. I think the local fans enjoyed the evening because their team won.

Qizilqum made the most out of their chances and achieved the result. The win was fully deserved.
We also had goal-scoring opportunities. But to win, you have to convert at least a portion of your chances. The players worked hard — I have no complaints about that. But in football, hard work without goals doesn’t bring results.”

“First goal — a defensive error. Not the goalkeeper’s fault”

“If we talk about the first goal, it’s hard to blame the goalkeeper. Of course, shots from that range should be saved.
But when a winger covers so much ground and takes a shot, it means the defense didn’t support properly. That goal was unnecessary.

Until then, we were controlling the game. Even after the goal, we had chances, but couldn’t finish them. We need to analyze that and draw conclusions.”

“Saying it’s psychological isn’t accurate”

Another interesting point from the press conference — was the team’s mentality affected by the 3–0 win over Bukhara and the fact that Qizilqum sits low in the standings?

“Talking about underestimating the opponent seems wrong to me. A footballer has chosen this profession. He does his job on the pitch and gets paid for it.

There should be no difference between Qizilqum or Real Madrid. You must be 100% ready for any opponent. This is not about psychology — it’s about professionalism.”

In conclusion...

Navbahor couldn’t maintain the high morale they had after their strong performance in Namangan. Whether it was psychological pressure, defensive mistakes, or missed chances — this will be addressed in the upcoming training sessions.

What do you think? Is Navbahor’s problem on the pitch or in the mind? Read 'Zamin' on Telegram!