Following the goalless draw between AGMK and Neftchi in the 11th round of the Super League, visiting head coach Islom Ismoilov attended a press conference to share his impressions of the match. The experienced specialist first expressed his gratitude to the fans who traveled a long distance to support the team.
— I want to thank our fans who were with us despite the difficult weather conditions. It was clear from the start that the match would be tough. AGMK is a team that has been in good form in recent rounds and is moving up the table. However, overall, we were able to control the game. If we had capitalized on our opportunities, we could certainly have won. This is football — sometimes these things happen, — said Ismoilov.
The coach noted that the opponent's high pressure in the first half caused problems for the team, but they managed to stabilize the situation through tactical adjustments in the second half.
— We had analyzed that certain zones would remain open when AGMK pressed. They tried to mark Jamshid Iskanderov. For that reason, we moved him deeper in the second half. The player marking him would vacate his zone, and we tried to exploit that exact opportunity, — he explained.
Ismoilov also addressed the issue of the team's lack of goals. In his opinion, while the coach's task is to get the team into attacking positions and create chances, it is up to the players to use them effectively.
— We couldn't score — that is the reason. We are working on this in training. Still, we are failing to convert some situations. Nevertheless, our team has scored 25 goals and is currently leading the league table, — the coach said.
He also gave a positive assessment of the team's results during a congested schedule. According to him, the team has played 12 matches in two months, including the Super Cup, and won 10 of them.
During the press conference, a question regarding the national team was also answered. Ismoilov avoided singling out any specific player, emphasizing that all Uzbek players are worthy of playing for the national team.
— Let them call up everyone, — the coach replied jokingly.
In short, the Neftchi head coach expressed satisfaction with the team's performance despite the draw, but acknowledged that there is still work to be done in converting opportunities into goals.
