In the semi-final of the Uzbekistan Cup, the dramatic clash between "Pakhtakor" and "Dinamo" ended with a score of 0:0, and the winner was determined by a penalty shootout. Ultimately, the "Lions" prevailed in decisive shots and advanced to the final. Samarkand's head coach, Vadim Abramov, participated in a press conference after the match and spoke in detail about the match and the team's situation.
"Even though the score wasn't opened, I think the game was very exciting for the fans. We didn't play badly in the first half, but our game declined in the second. Then Pakhtakor's "class" and experience spoke their minds. In the penalty shootout, the opponent played better, and we made a mistake in the "lottery." Nevertheless, I am grateful to my guys - they fought to the end against a strong opponent," Abramov said.
According to him, it doesn't matter how you accept defeat: "Even if we had lost in regular time or extra time, the result wouldn't have changed. All that remains in history is that Pakhtakor defeated Dinamo in the semi-finals. For us, this is the past. Now we are preparing for the Super League matches. We still have 9 games until the end of the season, and all of them are in our hands."
Abramov also touched upon the team's psychological state after a series of defeats: "We need to take every opponent seriously. Otherwise, the season will be unlucky for us. Professionalism is tested in such situations. We are still fighting and will not turn back."
The coach, who paid special attention to the penalty issue, said: "This is not just a problem for Uzbek footballers. Marco also couldn't score today. A penalty is a process under high pressure. Even the world's stars - Baggio, Messi - have experienced similar situations. There is no rule that success in training is repeated on the field. Therefore, it is natural to make mistakes in such situations," he emphasized.
According to the coach, Dinamo is not yet deprived of opportunities in the Super League. He expressed confidence that he could show strong competition in matches against the team.
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