In an interview with Tribuna.uz, the head coach of the Uzbekistan U-17 national team, who is successfully participating in the World Cup in Qatar, Islambek Ismailov, spoke about the match against Panama, the group stage, and expectations before the playoffs.
Ismailov said that they had a premonition that the match against Panama would be difficult:
"We knew the opponent would give it their all, because this was the last match of the group. We played under heavy pressure in the first half, so we lost full control. But at halftime, the team was mentally rebuilt, and in the second half, we showed our game. As a result, we won by a large margin."
He noted that each game was very difficult because all the teams had equal chances:
"Our group was quite difficult. We put in a lot of effort in every match. The guys worked hard and gave everything on the field every time. The game against no opponent was easy."
Ismailov also commented on the preparations for the playoffs:
"Now the most important thing is recovery. Since Croatia played two days ahead of us, they will have more time to prepare. But we don't use this as an excuse. We only think about victory. God willing, we will defeat Croatia and further enlighten our people."
For information, the Uzbekistan - Croatia match will take place on November 15 at 20:45 at the Aspire academy.
As can be seen from this conversation, Islombek Ismailov believes in his players, and they have a high spirit of victory even in the playoff stage. From the coach's words, it is not difficult to understand that unity, mental stability, and trust are paramount in the team.
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