Tashkent time (CEST), June 28 — After Uzbekistan's 1-3 defeat to the Democratic Republic of Congo, coach Cannavaro spoke to the media.

Can you give us your thoughts on the match?

In the first half, we expended a lot of energy. Modern football demands you maintain high intensity for 90 minutes, which of course is very difficult. Since we arrived here, we've been working to improve our players' fitness. So far, our physical condition and match intensity have generally been good.

Today was the same; we started well and executed our pre-match plan. Our opponent also played actively, trying to score first and then a second goal. But the problem was that we stopped playing football.

I told the players that if we can't control the ball — there were a few moments in the first half when it was three-to-one or five-to-three, but we chose to shoot from distance — that's very difficult because you waste energy and lose confidence.

And our opponent is a very strong team with excellent physical capability. In the second half, after our first mistake, we conceded a penalty. However, I'm still pleased that the team showed what we're capable of. For me, that's very important. Of course, conceding three goals is too many. I wouldn't feel good even with a draw, let alone losing 3-1. I feel sorry for the players because they deserved a different result.

Can you summarize the team's performance throughout the tournament, not just this match? Can this team do better, or should we not expect too much since this is their first appearance?

I think we need to learn how to maintain balance better throughout a match. Sometimes we start well, but the second half changes completely — for example, in the matches against Colombia and Portugal, the difference was very clear. Today was the same for us; the intensity in the first half was excellent, and we didn't give Congo any chances.

But in the second half, we encountered problems and the team lost coordination. I think our biggest mistake wasn't the errors themselves, but that we stopped trying to play football. I know it's difficult, but we must continue to play; otherwise, we'll only keep clearing the ball and then become exhausted. When you regain possession, you're already very tired and can't make optimal decisions. This is a matter of experience. I hope this FIFA World Cup will bring valuable experience to us and our players. We knew from the start that this was a process of gaining experience, and I hope these lessons will drive the team forward in the future.

On the coach's responsibility and pressure

I don't feel good because I hate losing. But I won't blame my players — never. I said before that a draw would have been "cruel" for us.

If someone thinks we should easily beat Congo or have an advantage against Colombia, that's unrealistic. Sometimes we make mistakes. The level of the FIFA World Cup is such that even coaches who've won three FIFA World Cups won't find it easy. The players gave everything, and they're very upset in the dressing room, but they really tried their best. I'm proud of them.

From day one we arrived here, we knew this would be a difficult FIFA World Cup. It's a learning process, a process of building experience. I won't blame any player; they can make mistakes because I understand the pressure they're under right now.

In the first half, our tactic was to try to play more short passes, attack more actively, and also try to create space for certain players, which they did very well. But after conceding, in the second half, we started choosing only long balls. That's not our tactical setup; our original plan was to control the ball and build attacks. But sometimes, under pressure, if you lack experience, you become afraid and choose the easy way.

I hope these matches help our players learn to handle match situations more calmly. Because if you only "try something," you may not win the match; but if you maintain stability throughout the match, you have a chance. In the first half, we proved we can compete with any team, but the problem is we couldn't maintain that stability for the full 90 minutes.

Many people think you can't beat Portugal or Colombia. That's the common perception. What do you think?

That's understandable; many people think we can't beat these teams. But we also need to understand that Uzbek football needs to continue developing, and we must continue investing in youth development and building football academies. That's the only way we'll keep appearing at the FIFA World Cup over the next 20 to 30 years.

We've achieved some good results before, and we'll continue to work hard this time.

We must continue investing in young players and continue building the system.

I know people are disappointed now because we have no points and the performance wasn't good, but my players gave everything.

No one can blame them.

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