The match between Bukhara and Neftchi, part of the 28th round of the Super League, ended in a 1-1 draw. Following the match, Bukhara head coach Aleksandr Khomyakov participated in a press conference, commenting on the team's performance, points lost, and the remainder of the season.
"Every match equals the final, but victories are needed"
"I won't accept your congratulations on the draw," Khomyakov said frankly. - Because for us, every match is as important as the final. Every time we enter the field only for victory. Unfortunately, in the last two matches - against "Andijan" and today against "Neftchi," we did not achieve the expected result.
The coach emphasized that the team failed to fully implement the planned playing style. - We didn't have much of it today. We couldn't pose a sufficient threat in the attack. We played well for the first 15-20 minutes, but then we gave up the center of the field to the opponent. The fact that we were one person short also affected us. Nevertheless, we saved one point.
"Maintaining tempo is crucial in football"
Journalists asked about how "Bukhara" often actively moves at the beginning of the game and then slows down the tempo. This time, the opposite happened - the team became active after the goal was conceded.
"That wasn't a tactical decision," said Khomyakov. - On the contrary, we demand to remain active in every debate. As the championship draws to a close, the value of each point increases. Therefore, it is very important not to lose the rhythm, to adapt the opponent to our game. We can only achieve a result through struggle.
"Tabatadze's absence affected the game"
The head coach believes that the injury of the team's main striker, Toma Tabatadze, also affected the result.
"Our playing style often relies on tall players, with overhead passes and set pieces playing a significant role. If it were Tabatadze, we might have saved the victory. Of course, Dominic Begic also played well, worked hard for the team, and scored an important goal. But the absence of Tabatadze as a central striker was noticeable," said Khomyakov.
"Minus four - that's how much I'll put today's price"
When asked to rate the game, the coach replied:
- If we were to evaluate on a 5-point scale, I would probably say minus four. Because we lost several key players in the first half. This also affected the rhythm of the game.
"Bukhara" continues a fierce struggle to stay in the Super League. According to Khomyakov, the team perceives each match as a life-match test and strives only for victory in the remaining rounds.
In his words, "if we keep the pace and don't lose confidence, we still have an opportunity."
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