Islom Ismoilov speaks out after Neftchi's humiliating defeat in Qarshi

Uzbekistan Super LeagueIn the central match of the 20th round, the reigning champion and league leader, Neftchi Fergana, suffered a crushing 2-6 defeat against Nasaf in Qarshi. This heavy defeat of the leader sent shockwaves through the football community. After the match, Neftchi head coach Islom Ismoilov attended the press conference, where he provided detailed answers to journalists' questions regarding the team's knockdown state, the reasons for consecutive errors, and the difficult situation in the second half of the season.

“Every corner kick from the opponent resulted in a goal”: First-half paralysis

Islom Ismoilov revealed that the fate of the match was decided in an instant due to set-piece situations:

• Opponent's skill and inexplicable situations: “First of all, I congratulate Nasaf on a well-deserved victory. I apologize to the fans and the club management. I take full responsibility for all the mistakes. Almost all of the opponent's free kicks and corner kicks turned into goals; we need to review this situation.”

• Knockdown and trust in players: The coach emphasized that he has no complaints about his players and does not doubt anyone: “The team fell into a mental knockdown in the first half. It is very difficult to wake up the players in such a situation. I believe in our players; they have given their all for us until today and will continue to do so.”

• Open football philosophy: Ismoilov stated that choosing an open, risk-based game was not a mistake, and that Neftchi has not abandoned its attacking philosophy against any opponent, including Pakhtakor as well.

Problems in the second half of the season: Not the coach's departure, but constant injuries

The decline in away games for a team that had a strong first half was explained by the following factors:

• The departure of the German assistant is not a factor: The coach said that the departure of the foreign assistant did not affect the team's performance, and the main reason is the losses in the squad.

• Constant injuries and forced rotation: “Key players are getting injured one after another. We are forced to change the squad in every game. Even a player who returns to the lineup cannot immediately reach their previous form. The lack of a stable squad is lowering the quality of our game.”

• Pressure of leadership and coaching responsibility: The specialist admitted that the team is playing under great pressure at the top of the table and that the shortcomings are not only due to injuries but also his own mistakes as a coach.

ACL test and the decision to fight until the end

Despite the heavy blow, the Neftchi head coach stated that he would not give up on the title race and international goals:

• Ineffectiveness of tactical changes: “At the beginning of the second half, we brought on Alisher Odilov and moved Jovovic behind the striker to create tension in the center. But we conceded another goal from a corner.”

• “Nothing is lost yet”: “The team is still in first place. We will fight with all our might until the end of the season and try to maintain this position.”

• Responsibility in Asian competitions: Ismoilov noted that mental strength is important to represent Uzbekistan worthily in the AFC Champions League and that they will approach the tournament seriously.

Do you think Neftchi can recover mentally after the 6-2 defeat against Nasaf and maintain their lead in the title race, or has the initiative shifted to their rivals? Who is the main culprit for this crisis? Leave your thoughts in the comments!