At the U-23 Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia, the Uzbekistan youth national team started the tournament with a victory. After the dramatic match against Lebanon ended with a score of 3:2, head coach Ravshan Haydarov and Saidumarxon Saidnurullayev, who was named the best player of the match, participated in a press conference and openly spoke about what happened "in the inside" of the game.
Khaydarov: the game is ours, the nerves got worked at the finish line
Ravshan Khaydarov noted that for most of the match, the initiative and control were in the hands of the Uzbek team. However, in the final minutes of the match, the situation became a little "hot," and the game became nervous.
"We had the reins of the game. At the end, we got a little nervous. These errors are related to fatigue. It wasn't easy for the substitutes to get into the game. But the most important thing is that in the end, three points are ours," the coach said.
From the expert's words, it's clear that controlling the game and ending the game coldly are two different things. After Uzbekistan reached 3:0, there was also a psychological risk of falling into the mood of "everything is done." In the end, the team retained the victory, but there was also enough material to draw a conclusion.
Saidnurullayev: We got three points, we won't repeat the mistake
At the press conference, player Saidumarxon Saidnurullayev also admitted that the game was difficult at the beginning of the match. However, the result is the main currency in the tournament, he noted:
"It was difficult at first. But we got the three points we needed," he said.
At the conference, journalists also asked the most interesting question: Why did Lebanon score two goals after 3:0?
The player's response was short but clear: fatigue and decreased attention.
"The cause was fatigue. Concentration also decreased slightly. We won't repeat these mistakes in the next game."
The opponents drew, but the main plan remains unchanged
It was also mentioned at the conference that another match in the group - the match between South Korea and Iran - ended goalless. Of course, this is important for the tournament table. But Khaydarov put forward an even more important point here than the question of "convenient or inconvenient": we observe the opponents, but we develop our own game.
"We will watch the opponents' game, how the score turned out - everything is important. But we must move forward in our own game. The next opponent is Iran. Preparations have already begun. The recovery of the guys will also start today," he said.
According to Khaydarov, while some of the mistakes were tactical, the main problem appeared in psychology: instead of "cleverly closing the game" after 3:0, causing free throws in unnecessary places, giving in to excitement and haste in the final minutes - these were the things that gave hope to the opponent.
The game against Iran - doesn't forgive "childish" mistakes
Now all attention is focused on the next debate. Khaydarov said that Iran's game against the Republic of Korea should definitely be analyzed, and the team should correct the shortcomings that were made there.
"This meeting is an opportunity to correct mistakes. Let's analyze Iran's game. I hope the childish mistakes won't be repeated. We must get points in the next match," said the coach.
Conclusion
Uzbekistan U-23 started the tournament with a victory - a good start. But dropping to 3:2 after 3:0 is also a hard lesson for the team: in a big competition, the game is won not just by scoring goals, but by maintaining concentration until the end. Now there's no such thing as "later" - recovery has begun, analysis has begun, and the game against Iran is a new test. For fans, it's simple: to calm your heart and be ready for the next match.
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