„We lost, but looking at the result - it turned out better than in Vilnius, - after the 0:2 loss in the 2020 European Championship qualification B group match against Ukraine, said the coach of the Lithuanian national team Valdas Urbonas. - We made tactical changes that gave results“.
According to the coach, the Lithuanian national team managed to stop the Ukrainian leaders. „We saw that the Ukrainian team was stuck, especially in creating attacks, - said the coach. - Of course, there were moments when we were lucky, when the ball hit the crossbar, but the situations where we missed goals - that is the individual skill of the players. It once again proved that individually strong players can determine the outcome of the match“.
V. Urbonas was pleased with the team's defensive play. „It was organized enough. It's a pity that we couldn't defend in crucial moments when goals were conceded,“ said the coach.
He regretted that due to an injury, defender Vytautas Andriuškevičius probably will not be able to help the team in Monday's match against Serbia. „It is also a pity that due to yellow cards Arvydas Novikovas will not be able to help us,– lamented V. Urbonas. - However, now we know that by organizing the game well, maintaining concentration and discipline, we can at least do defensive work“.
However, the coach admitted that the offensive game is currently struggling. „Today we didn't have Fedor Černych, Vytautas Slivka, – V. Urbonas reminded. - I don't make excuses, I'm not saying that this would turn everything upside down. I am satisfied with today's match“.
Goalkeeper Vytautas Černiauskas admitted after the match that the team was plagued by mistakes in set-piece situations.
„The defensive plan definitely worked better - we didn't make the mistakes that were made in the first mutual matches, but other mistakes appeared“, smiled V. Černiauskas.
Ovidijus Verbickas also agreed that the defensive plan worked. „In the first half, the Ukrainian team didn't have many opportunities, but a lack of concentration led to the first goal. In the second half, we started pressing. We had one good opportunity, I myself shot at goal... Maybe I could have done better“, said the footballer.
