FC Spartak Moscow midfielder return to the national ranks turned out successful. It was due to his two scoring passes that Russia National finished off with the Finns.
— We’ve managed to carry out the coach’s plan for the game. We were playing better and showed good football.
— Did you expect you’d be in the line-up?
— At the trainings we played different schemes with different players. I was in the line-up the few last training matches so I was ready to be called up.
— Did you feel easier psychologically to know that?
— We had a good session and got plenty of positive emotions so it was quite ok with me.
— So how could you outplay your rivals?
— We hoped we’d make it as we wanted and of course we could carry out the coach’s plan for the game.
— Do you think the Finns played their best?
— What matters is our play was a success. So there’s no sense in watching how well your opponent plays. The Finns played as we allowed them to play.
— It was you who earned the first free kick. Your rival lost his position and had to foul…
— No wonder the Finnish players are very tall and it’s hard for them to play when the ball’s down; and we play fast football. So the Suomi players could nothing but foul.
— What was wrong when Zyryanov gave you a classy pass in the first minutes?
— I hurried a little. I just needed to get the ball and drive it on and to shoot straight away.
— The first goal was just a matter of time, wasn’t it?
— Sure cos we had some chances to score. We were lucky to score in the first half. In the break time Guus told us to play in the same style and that we could score more. So finally we scored again and again, in a sharp attack.
— When you received a pass from Zyryanov you were one on one but missed it – was it a bad shot?
— I got the pass on the run but it was a defender’s good play who slid and kicked it off.
— Was your position good?
— Yes. I haven’t seen the replay yet but I think I could score.
— In the beginning of the second half the Finns took the play over…
— They were hosts and they had to go forward. We liked the score and so were careful watching over our defense line. They tried to take over the result but we scored it the second time.
— About the second goal: you made a mighty shot.
— No, I was spinning the ball to bypass the keeper.
— Could you say after the second goal the winner became evident?
— No. We couldn’t ease out a second for the rivals were on the level and could punish us any time. Our guys were just great. They played carefully and didn’t give the Finns a single chance.
— Did you think the attack would be successful when you passed to Zyryanov?
— You couldn’t think of anything else cos we wanted to score more?! Kostya did the best with my pass.
— How serious was the injury from a Finnish player?
— Honestly, both ankles are dark. It’s very unpleasant to be hit from behind especially when they do it on purpose.
— Did you think of leaving the pitch?
— No. I was all on the emotions and didn’t think of the pain. Besides we had plenty of our supporters who drove us on. We felt we played at home. I didn’t hear the Finnish support there anyway.
— Some say the result was done by the returnees. What can you say about it?
— We are in good shape now, that’s why we were called up again. The whole team made the result.
— Could you say the competition for the second place is gone?
— No sense talking about that because we need to struggle for the first place.
