The interesting and dramatic derby of the 18th round of the Super League — the clash between “Andijan” and “Navbahor” — has come to an end. The match saw only one goal, and it brought victory to the Namangan club. The head coach of “Navbahor,” Sergey Lushchan, answered journalists’ questions in detail at the post-match press conference.
— “We really played a very tough match. Playing against “Andijan” has always been difficult, and it remains so. I have been working in Namangan for one and a half years, and during this time, every game against “Andijan” has been a test for us. A derby is a derby; there are no easy paths in it. Today I want to express great gratitude to the players because they fulfilled our instructions almost 90 percent. A victory after two consecutive draws is very important for our team. This result, I am sure, will give us additional mental strength to move forward and develop further. We stopped several dangerous attacks from the opponent, and although we did not attack often ourselves, the most important thing is that we achieved a positive result. I sincerely congratulate all my players and fans on the victory.”
Lushchan also commented on the question of why some players did not play in the starting lineup:
— “After the previous round, I also noted that the summer training camp was not as productive as we expected. About 70 percent of the main players did not participate in the camp. The foreign players joined only five days before the start of the second half of the season, and Zhiyanov and Mirsaidov — just four days before the start. This factor significantly affected the training process. Now all players have fully joined the training and are trying to prove themselves, which makes me happy. They are doing extra exercises, so I hope we will get stronger with each game. Boltaboev has also just started adapting to the team. I believe that by the Cup match against “Sogdiana,” everyone will be in good playing shape.”
When asked about his satisfaction with this match, the coach said:
— “Of course, I am satisfied with the team’s performance. As I said, the guys fully carried out the instructions and scored a beautiful goal. We are now in the process of building and forming the team, and this path can only be taken through such difficult matches.”
To the question of why Sardor Azim Akhmedov is not taking the field, the following answer was given:
— “This is entirely related to competition. Of course, Azim is a high-level footballer, a leader both on the field and in the team. However, at the moment, our Brazilian midfielders inspire more confidence. If one of them is out, Azim replaces him worthily. Having such an experienced player on the bench is a great advantage for us, as we can use him at any time.”
“Navbahor’s” victory in this derby not only improved the team’s position in the standings but also gave the squad new psychological uplift. Fans can expect even more productive games in the new stage.
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