DUSHANBE, 05.09.2019. (NIAT Khovar) – A pre-match press conference with the head coach of the Tajik national football team Hakim Fuzailov, the team’s captain Ahtam Nazarov, head coach of the Kyrgyz national football team Alexander Krestinin and Kygyz team’s midfielder Edgar Bernhardt was held yesterday in Dushanbe.

The World Cup 2022 qualifying match in Group F between Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan will be held today at the Dushanbe Central Republican Stadium and will start at 19:00.

Usmon Toshev, head coach, national football team of Tajikistan:

— I congratulate everyone on the start of the World Cup 2022 qualifying tournament. We have been waiting for the start of a new qualifying round for a long time. We have carefully prepared for the games. In the match against the Kyrgyz team, we have only one task,- to win, to take three points at home. Therefore, we will try to please our fans. The team is ready, I see that the guys’ eyes are burning. We are in a fighting mood and approach the game with Kyrgyzstan. We have learned the opponent. The team is experienced, performed well at the Asian Cup 2019 in the UAE.

— In your opinion, which match in the World Cup 2022 qualifying round will be the most difficult?

— All games will be interesting and challenging. All teams were preparing for the qualifying round, and there will be no easy matches.

— Many fans ask the question why experienced players, including Fathullo Fathulloev and Nuriddin Davronov, were not called to play in the upcoming qualifying matches?

— As you know, Fathulloev received a red card in the last Asian Cup 2019 qualifying match and was disqualified for three matches. His disqualification extends to the World Cup 2022 qualifying matches. Fathulloev will be able to return to the Tajik team only by the November away games against Myanmar (November 14) and Kyrgyzstan (November 19). As for Davronov, he was just starting to play. He moved to Oman and now he needs a game practice. As soon as Davronov gets in shape, he will return to the national team.

— What is the state of legionnaires of our team such as Manuchehr Jalilov, Khurshed Beknazarov, Amirbek Juraboev and Parvizjon Umarboev?

— The guys are in good shape. It is very good that Khurshed Beknazarov, Manuchehr Jalilov and Amirbek Juraboev arrived in the team in advance, and conducted several trainings with the team. As for Parvizjon Umarboev, he joined us the day before yesterday. We could not call him before because he played for his club in the Bulgarian championship. But Umarboev is a very smart, sociable, talkative player, and just joined the team.

— What can you say to the fans before the match against the Kyrgyz team?

— Many thanks to the fans for their support. I want to invite all the fans to come to the stadium and support the team in this important match. We will fight and try to please them with a victory.

Ahtam Nazarov, Tajik team’s captain:

— The first match is always very important. All the players understand the responsibility of the upcoming match. The team’s camp has a wonderful atmosphere, everyone is ready to go on the field and show a good game. The opponent is well known to us, we have played with each other more than once. We will try to achieve victory and thereby please our loyal fans. I urge everyone to come to the stadium and become a real 12th player! Dear fans, we need your support!

Alexander Krestinin, head coach, Kyrgyz team:

— I want to thank the Tajik side for the warm welcome. Excellent comfortable conditions have been created for us. We were preparing for the match against the Tajik team according to the plan, everything is going as usual. The team is in a good mood, getting ready for the game seriously. Our games with Tajikistan are always interesting and fun wherever the game takes place — in Dushanbe or Bishkek. Therefore, I think that there will be a bright, intense game.

— Could success in the first match be a key factor for the successful performance of the team in the World Cup 2022 qualifying tournament?

— I do not think that the match against Tajikistan is key. It is determining, on the one hand, on the other — each match is worth its weight in gold. The key moment will come when the qualifying cycle ends. The start of the qualifying tournament is a pre-start excitement, no more.

— What can you say about the Tajik team?

— We watched the last matches with their participation. We learned the strengths. You have a new coach, there are changes in the composition. We consider all this. On the one hand, we looked at the previous games of the Tajik team, however we do not know how the opponent will play against us. We assume possible options, this is understandable, the Tajik team is also learning about us.

— Dynamo Minsk defender Valery Kichin, who was your team’s captain at the Asian Cup 2019 in the UAE, was not called up to the Kyrgyz team for the upcoming match. According to the press service of the Kyrgyz Football Federation, Kichin will not play due to family circumstances. What can you say about this? And another question. Your team gathered only on September 1. Was there enough time to prepare for the match against Tajikistan?

— Yes, indeed, Valery Kichin will not be able to help our team for family reasons. We look forward to him in the next games. However, not only Kichin, but also three more players will not be able to help us in the upcoming match. They are Victor Mayer, Gulzhigit Alykulov and Anton Zemlyanukhin, who did not come to Dushanbe for health reasons. The working situation, all at the same time cannot get sick, but at the same time cannot be healthy. It’s football life.

As for our training, we began it on September 1. Many of our players play abroad, so we could not gather a team before. Of course, any trainer would like to have more time to prepare. But we were ready for such a calendar.

Edgar Bernhardt, Kyrgyz team’s midfielder:

— Our coaching staff reviewed the game of the Tajik team, we watched games with their participation. We prepare as usual, everything is going according to plan, we know how to play. We have our own tasks that we need to solve. Every match is important for us. We do not feel pressure.