Carlos Jatoba, midfielder for Araz-Nakhchivan, gave an interview to Futbolxeber.az after his team's 2-0 victory over Sumgayit in the Azerbaijan Premier League's XXX round.
- How would you comment on the 2-0 victory over Sumgayit?
- It was a tough match. Before the game, we told the team that every match is like a final for us. We played well, although we might have dropped back a bit towards the end. This is understandable since there was fatigue after the match against Qarabag. Nevertheless, we managed to take the important 3 points.
- You started the match very actively, scored a goal, but then VAR canceled it. Afterward, there was a penalty situation, and again VAR came into play. The game was interrupted for about 7-8 minutes. Did such situations affect your performance?
- Yes, when the game is paused for 2, 3, or 4 minutes because of VAR, it has a negative effect on us. We had started the game very actively, and such breaks reduce the tempo of the match. After the penalty, we opened the scoring. Even after that, we applied pressure. The opponent played well in the second half of the first half. Football is not just about attacking; sometimes you need to defend too, and we did that well.
- Considering that your rivals for the European qualification, Zira and Sabah, lost, and Turan Tovuz lost 2 points, did this give you extra motivation?
- Of course. We knew that Zira and Sabah had lost, and Turan Tovuz had drawn. The fact that our rivals lost points gave us extra motivation.
- Given that you’ve been away from the pitch for a long time, how satisfied are you with your current performance?
- Physically, I feel better compared to before. I had been away for a long time, so I need to get back into the rhythm of the game. Sometimes, I lose balls that I shouldn’t normally lose. I am working hard in training to give my best effort.
- Looking ahead, there is the championship match against Kapaz. Are you focusing more on that game or the cup?
- The cup is still far away. We will think about the second leg against Qarabag only a few days before the game. Right now, all our focus is on the championship. We know the match against Kapaz will be tough, but we must do our best to get the 3 points.
- Although you are not thinking about it yet, what is your assessment of your team’s chances of reaching the final?
- We have a good chance. However, we all know that Qarabag is a very strong opponent. We must go onto the field as if the score is 0:0. We need to play with the same determination as we did in the first match. Only then can we achieve our goal.
Idman.biz
