Yesterday, very important matches took place in the third qualifying round of the "2026 World Cup". Our national team played a fierce draw of 2:2 against Iran in Tehran, while in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan defeated Qatar 3:1, pleasantly surprising everyone.
In the post-match press conference, Kyrgyzstan's head coach Maxim Lisitsin and team captain Valeriy Kichin participated and said the following:
Maxim Lisitsin:
"Thank you very much to all the guys. Yesterday at the press conference, I talked about how we accomplished a great job as a whole team. Today, everything went according to our plan. Yes, we didn't perform very well in set pieces, especially in corners. However, we did not deviate from the plan we set for the match. After the opponent received a red card, we managed to turn the game into a victory. I think there is no need to say much about the strength of the opponent. But our guys played better than them.
The victory once again confirmed the need to trust the team. Yes, we did not achieve the necessary results in several matches at this stage. But at the same time, we understood the strength of our opponents and continued to strive forward without lowering our heads. I want to thank all the guys who brought joy to the fans in today's match. I also want to express my gratitude to our supporters who backed us. Therefore, the result of the match did not seem surprising to me. Indeed, the red card for the opponent made our job much easier. That red card worked in our favor, and we were able to take advantage of the opportunity we created while putting pressure on the opponent."
Valeriy Kichin:
"I want to express my gratitude to everyone involved in today's victory. We accomplished a task that was not easy. After the first match, we did not lower our heads and played decently against the Asian champion. Our opponent was a two-time champion of Asia. We were better. However, of course, it was not all easy. I emphasized in the pre-match press conference that we prepared very well for the match. As you can see, we were not 100 but 200 percent ready for the game. Therefore, thank you to everyone.
As we move from game to game, we are playing much better, and we are gaining experience. Most importantly, the players are drawing the necessary conclusions from the matches played and analyzing them. Whether it is a victory or a defeat, it does not matter. The important thing is that we are improving our game. The current stage is showing what the young players in our squad are capable of. Such competitions, in turn, help them grow even more, that is for sure."
