The head coach of the Uzbekistan national team, Fabio Cannavaro, and team captain Eldor Shomurodov participated in a press conference organized before the match against the Congo national team and answered questions from media representatives. This was reported by Championat.asia.
Fabio Cannavaro, while giving high praise to the opponent's capabilities, emphasized that the team is mainly focused on fighting for victory.
"Congo is an experienced and physically well-prepared team. However, we will take the field for victory. Tomorrow's match will differ from previous games because we have competed against the strongest opponents in the tournament," said the head coach.
Cannavaro also touched on the goalkeeper selection, stating that Utkir Yusupov showed a decent performance in the first match, and at the same time, he plans to give opportunities to other goalkeepers as well.
According to the head coach, participation in this tournament is important for enriching the team's international experience and further development through playing against high-level opponents.
"I have told the players from the very first days that they need to play without pressure. This competition is a good opportunity for us to grow as a team," he said.
Furthermore, Cannavaro particularly emphasized that as a result of attention to children's football, academies, and youth training in Uzbekistan, the country secured its first-ever World Cup berth.
Speaking at the press conference, national team captain Eldor Shomurodov stated that the team's main goal is to make the fans happy.
"We scored our first goal. Now our main task is to achieve our first victory. We always strive to make our fans happy," he said.
Eldor Shomurodov noted the importance of maintaining discipline in defense as well as playing actively in attack, emphasizing that the most important criterion for the team is the result.
"While striving to score goals, we must not forget about defense. The main goal is to demonstrate organized play and achieve victory," said the team captain.
Shomurodov also emphasized that the fans' support gives the players great mental strength and stated that they will use every opportunity to make them happy in upcoming matches as well.
