Ruziqul Berdiyev openly stated the reason for Nasaf's painful defeat in Karshi

The match held in Karshi as part of the AFC Champions League 2 (ACL 2) ended in an unexpected disappointment for local fans. Hosting Kuwait's "Kuwait SC" on their home turf, "Nasaf" suffered a minimal 0:1 defeat.

In the post-match press conference, "Dragons" head coach Ruziqul Berdiyev participated and analyzed the true reasons for the negative result in an open and blunt manner. The specialist attributed the defeat not to bad luck or fatigue, but to the low skill level of the forwards.

Key points from Ruziqul Berdiyev's press conference

The Karshi coach expressed the following thoughts regarding the chances created during the match and the opponent's counterattacks:

• Not bad luck, but a lack of skill: The coach emphasized that the team created many chances but failed to capitalize on them: "I don't think this is bad luck or fatigue. We lacked composure and skill in finishing chances in the attack. I think that is why we lost. When you create many chances and cannot score, I believe it is due to a lack of skill and level;"

• Errors in the opponent's counterattacks: He noted that "Kuwait SC" organized dangerous counterattacks: "Because the opposing team moved well on the counterattack two or three times. We played sluggishly in those situations. There was one goal, and in another instance, Abduvohid made a save;"

• The problem of not scoring from 3 meters: Berdiyev specifically emphasized that the squad or tactical schemes cannot be an excuse: "I don't think it's about the squad or our scheme. Creating such an opportunity and failing to convert it into a goal, going one-on-one with the goalkeeper and failing to score from 3 meters – it's a lack of composure, a lack of feeling for the situation, and a lack of characteristics inherent to strikers. Our level in the attack let us down."

Squad selection and the issue of young players

At the press conference, the coach was also asked why he trusted experienced players instead of the youth:

• Conclusions after the defeat: "Of course, there will be thoughts. When you lose, you think about the squad selection or the positioning of the players! You try to study the reasons more deeply," the specialist said;

• Why were experienced players chosen? The importance of mental stability in international competitions was noted: "I think we emphasized that more experienced players should take the field in such a match. In games like this, experience and composure are exactly what is required. If we put in a young player, sometimes their lack of experience or the pressure might cause them to lose their composure."

The 0:1 defeat in Karshi has complicated "Nasaf's" path in the group stage of the international tournament. As the head coach noted, serious work on composure in the attacking line and final shots will be required to achieve positive results in future matches.