Ilyas Zeytullayev: "Every game is a new test, none of them are easy"

Following the 11th round Super League match between "Mash'al" and "Bunyodkor" (1:1), the "Swallows" head coach Ilyos Zeytullaev participated in the press conference and shared his thoughts about the game.

“Every match is a school of experience for me”

— Since I started working in the Uzbekistan Super League, I’ve become convinced that no match is easy. I’m younger than many coaches and at the same time gaining valuable experience through my work. Football is not just tactics — it’s also full of emotions, excitement, stress, and feelings. During more than a year with “Bunyodkor”, we’ve gone through very tough matches — wins, draws, and losses. But all of this has become a school of growth and development for me, — said Zeytullaev.

“Why our second goal was canceled — let the referees answer”

Zeytullaev also commented on the situation where “Bunyodkor”’s second goal was canceled via the VAR system:
— Every decision should be evaluated by specialists. I am a coach and do not interfere in refereeing. The referees will explain where the offside was. Perhaps part of the player’s body was ahead. But that’s not my job. The decisions are under the control of the referees, and we await official explanations through the appropriate platform, — he noted.

“We didn’t switch to defense after scoring”

According to Zeytullaev, the team didn’t switch to defense after scoring, but acted based on the game situation:
— We acted in that style throughout the whole match. Transitioning to attack or holding in defense — it all depends on the situation. When watching on TV, it might look like the team went into defense, but in reality, it was a tactical approach. We used the same style against “Navbahor” and conceded in the last moments. In football, team emotions often depend on the score, — emphasized the coach.

“What’s happening prompts reflection”

At the end of the press conference, Ilyos Zeytullaev also commented on refereeing and the general football environment:
— I’ve been following the recent statements of people like Islam Ismoilov. They are calling for solutions to the problems being observed in football. Perhaps the time will come when we all need to stop and seriously discuss these matters, — concluded Zeytullaev.

In conclusion, we can say that despite being young, Ilyos Zeytullaev works with great responsibility at “Bunyodkor”, and the fact that he learns from each match shows his potential for a bright coaching future.