The 20th round Super League match between Qizilqum and Bunyodkor remained in the fans’ memory as a tense and dramatic clash. The encounter in Navoi ended 1:1. After the game, the head coach of the capital club, Ilyos Zeytullaev, attended the press conference and shared his views on the match.
— What are your impressions of the game?
“Good evening everyone. In the first half, our team showed one of its best performances. On a heavy pitch, we tried to play actively. By ‘heavy’ I mean the quality of the field, which naturally affected our game. Even after the red card, we tried to put the game on the right track. We knew that Qizilqum always plays tough at home, and we prepared for that. Now we need to recover quickly and prepare seriously for the match against Bukhara. For us, that game will also be like a final,” said the coach.
— Do short breaks between matches affect the team?
“Of course, it also has its impact, especially on the players’ recovery process. On the one hand, there are trips, and on the other hand, we are playing every four days. For example, in four days we will face Bukhara. They just played yesterday. But we do not complain — Bunyodkor respects the calendar provided by the PFL. However, the tight schedule inevitably affects the team’s style of play. We will keep working. Our goal is to finish the season on a positive note,” Zeytullaev said.
— What else was missing?
“I think we played well. The match was mostly under our control. If our player had not been sent off, maybe we would have scored another goal. But this is football: mistakes and emotions are part of the game. In that situation, our player made a rough mistake. I used to be a player myself, and I know this can happen to anyone,” said the coach.
— Did Bunyodkor lose two points or gain one?
“If we take into account the chances in the first half, we lost two points. But in the second half, after we were reduced to ten men, the advantage gradually went to the opponent. Qizilqum played physical football, one of their goals was disallowed. That’s why the one point we earned in Navoi can be considered a small ‘gold’. But honestly, we came here only for victory,” Zeytullaev said.
— What do you think about the new rule?
“Now only the captain can talk to the referee. It’s not easy to adapt to this rule, since it didn’t exist before. Football is an emotional game, and in controversial situations, it’s natural for many players to approach the referee. It will take some time, but step by step the players will adapt. We respect the referees and aim to cooperate with them correctly,” the coach emphasized.
Thus, Bunyodkor recorded a hard-fought draw in Navoi. Now the club’s main task is to prepare for the crucial match against Bukhara and finish the season in high spirits.
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