Ilyos Zeytullayev: "Getting points from 'Nasaf' means a lot of things"
In the 9th round of the Super League, after the draw at the "Nasaf" stadium, "Bunyodkor" head coach Ilyos Zeytullayev attended a press conference.
- The game was intense. I thank my players. We went through a tough week. We live for football, so we accept such nuances correctly. Nevertheless, everyone maintained solidarity. It was a very difficult week for me as well. After that, I drew conclusions for myself. Today we came out of a difficult situation and showed that we can play football even in tough times. We attacked well and defended strongly. Due to some reasons, we got caught up with internal problems. However, we are strong, we are strong as a team. "Nasaf" is the reigning champion. Their fans love the team. They are currently the strongest team in Uzbekistan.
- You replaced Temurxo‘ja Abduxoliqov. How did the subsequent changes help the team?
- We inform all players coming off the bench that they need to win. Whenever Sardor Abdunabiyev comes off the bench, he changes the rhythm and increases the intensity. Temurxo‘ja is an experienced player who always brings great energy to the team. Nevertheless, we decided to substitute him. Today, I also thank the players who sat on the bench and did not enter the game. Their time will come too. The season still has a long way to go. They should not regret it.
- Today a 2:2 draw was recorded. Did "Bunyodkor" play for a draw due to tactical plans or take advantage of situations? There weren't many situations for "Bunyodkor" today.
- In the game against "Nasaf", no one will have many situations. We knew it would be difficult to play against the reigning champion. In the first half, "Nasaf" has tall defenders, and we had situations from set pieces near their penalty area. The result was fair, yes, perhaps the opponents had more situations. However, this is football; it continues until the last minute. Even in the last seconds, teams are facing defeats. I see that football is developing in Uzbekistan in recent years. Games are continuing until the last minutes. If several more aspects are corrected, this championship will turn into a super championship.
- "Bunyodkor" played against OKMK and "Nasaf". Which of these two games do you think your players worked harder in?
- We exerted the same effort in these games. Four days after the game against OKMK, we hosted "Qo‘qon-1912". We lost that game because we lost focus a bit. Because after the game against OKMK, the guys showed signs of fatigue. OKMK is also a very strong opponent. However, in Qarshi, against "Nasaf", with such a lineup of the opponent, some teams can come and raise their hands. Therefore, returning with points from here means a lot.
