Timur Kapadze: "There were many shortcomings in the game, but we will learn from the result"

The Uzbekistan national team played its first match at the "CAFA Nations Cup-2025" against Oman. The major match in Tashkent ended in a 1-1 draw. After the match, the team's head coach, Timur Kapadze, and Hojimat Erkinov shared their thoughts.

Kapadze said the following about the game:

"The meeting was not as easy as we expected. We conceded a goal in the opening minutes. Our main goal was to score against the opponent, but we struggled to create chances. You saw, Oman played under a new coach, and many of our shortcomings were noticeable on the field."

After the match, Hojimat Erkinov also expressed his opinion:

"The match turned out to be more difficult than we expected. But in the next matches, we will definitely try our best to win."

At the press conference, when asked about the high number of passes from the wings and the absence of long-range shots, Kapadze responded:

"Oman was very tightly defended. Therefore, there were almost no opportunities in the center. There were more free spots on both wings, and we used that."

Regarding the fight against tall defenders, the coach added:

"Frankly, we need tall players. The opposing team started training 10 days ago, and each player strived to prove themselves before the new coach. This created difficulties for us. We had only two days of training, one of which was aimed at restoration. Rumors about the arrival of a new coach also distracted attention. But we took advantage of that situation and equalized the score. Now let's focus on the next meeting."

To the question about the World Cup, Erkinov answered:

"Honestly, I haven't thought about it yet. We have many meetings ahead of us. As time approaches, we begin to think about this issue."

Opinions were also expressed about the condition of the field and the discipline. Erkinov: "There were no serious problems with the field during the game. In the second half, I felt even more free."

Kapadze, on the other hand, commented on the team's overall standing:

"We weren't bad physically either, and we had enough motivation. However, for two days we waited for many players to join the training camp, so there wasn't enough time for full tactical preparation. We saw the games led by the former Oman coach, but Carlos Queiroz used a different style, and that also affected the game."

Thus, our team started the competition with a draw. The fans are expecting a stronger performance from the team in the upcoming matches.