On Thursday, 21 March, the Ukrainian national team defeated the Bosnia and Herzegovina national team 2:1 in the semi-final match of the play-off round of the Euro 2024 qualifying cycle. Here is the post-match press conference of the head coach of the Bosnian national team Savo Milosevic.
Savo Milosevic- I don't know about you or the fans, but personally I don't have a single complaint about the players of our team. I don't have the slightest reason to complain about the actions of any of them. I think we completely neutralised a serious team until 80-85 minutes of the game. In this segment of the match Ukraine remained almost without a single shot.
After that there was confusion. Somewhere it was due to substitutions, somewhere - to a decrease in concentration. We conceded two goals on the counterattacks in the period when we were leading in the score and controlled the match.
We played against a serious team, but I am sorry that we lost. I can not blame the guys for anything - it can only be my fault and my responsibility.
In fact, on the pitch we were, if not better, then a more experienced team than the opponent. But we could have played a little bit smarter in the last 10 minutes of the match. The boys followed the game plan until the 85th minute. After that, most experienced teams would have restrained the game a lot more and used some non-football techniques to keep the result.
We conceded two goals for the same reason. Serious teams in such situations "dry" the game and create a lot of pauses. However, we did not do that. We continued to play the way we did from the first minute. We had a chance to make the score 2-0 before the first goal, but, unfortunately, we missed this opportunity.
In general, we had too many players in the opponent's half of the pitch when it was not necessary. But that's football and it's very difficult.
Overall, I think we managed to do something very difficult against a serious team. Even weaker teams create a few chances, and the Ukraine national team did not create any serious chances at our goal until their first goal.
The guys respected all tactical ideas. I am glad that the players saw that they can do much more than they did last year. This team can do a lot more. The guys really showed today that they can play against a serious team. This match was on the level of the European Championship.
- Comment on the substitutions.
- Two substitutions were forced. Neither I, nor the coaching staff could not foresee it. We had already made two substitutions, and then Ahmedhodjic got injured. Dedic had problems from the 20th minute, but he showed character until the 60th minute. We knew that it could happen that Dedic would leave the pitch. We had a plan and I had an idea for such a situation, but unfortunately I didn't realise it. I chose the option with Civic, and that probably decided the outcome of the match.
I told you at the beginning and I am telling you now that all the blame and responsibility lies on me and the coaching staff. I have nothing against the players of our team. Injuries to Ahmedhodjic and Dedic had a big impact on the match. Two forced changes essentially jeopardised three positions. Probably many would complain about how Gazibegovic played on the left wing, but he did a phenomenal job until we had to rotate. When Dedic left, a lot of things changed. Substitutions are also my responsibility and I won't avoid it. The blame and responsibility lies with me. And the guys did a great job tactically.
- Whose fault is the conceded goals?
- It does not occur to me to blame any one player. All decisions on the team and tactics are ours, mine and those of the coaching staff. Individual mistakes, if there were any, are an integral part of football. Without them, football would be the most boring game in the world. If a player failed to cope with where I put him, it is my fault, not his.
- Will you stay on as head coach of the Bosnia and Herzegovina national team?
- It does not depend on me. There are a million things that can happen. Given the result, I realise that it is a very complicated and complicated story. The plan was to win today and play in the play-off final in five days, but unfortunately that didn't happen and now everything is changing.
Alexander POPOV
