- Why was the victory so strained?
- And the Italians played very well. Especially in defense. They generally built their game from defense, constantly rolled back to their zone. And the goalkeeper played very cool with them: he made a lot of very difficult saves. It was hard for him to score.
- And what is it like to play when the audience whistles?
- Ha ha. The usual thing. If something does not work out, the fans are unhappy.
- Did you expect the Italians to choose just such a tactic?
- I think that there will be no more easy matches in this tournament. That is, no one else will be able to beat with a big score. The Italians did everything right. They rolled back with the whole five and did not really strive to create something. You know how difficult it is when there are five people on the defensive, and even the goalkeeper caught courage?
- You had to literally push the first goal into the goal, almost with the goalkeeper together.
- Yeah. Ilyukha scored from the fifth or sixth finishing. There the goalkeeper stopped so many throws ...
- They expected that Kovalchuk will return the puck to you when they scored the second Goal? He could well throw on goal.
- Honestly, I did not expect it. I thought he would throw.
“Because it's not his style?”
- Yes, but now Kovalchuk begins to play differently. He works more for partners. I now made a cool transfer.
- Becomes a dispatcher?
- He probably liked working for the team.
- In this game, there was a feeling that he was even overdoing it.
- Sometimes, maybe. At some points he could quit himself. But it is our job to make certain decisions during the game. If Ilya had a show in another episode, you would now say how great he played.
- Your link scored two goals. Is it possible to say that mutual understanding is getting better and better?
- I think yes. We begin to spend more time in a foreign zone and often create moments.
- Two days of rest did not knock you out of the rhythm of the game. Not "rusted"?
- How? Not rusted? Haha Not. In two days they did not have time. It’s just that the time for exorbitant results has passed. All teams are seriously tuned to each other. If everyone plays like Italians, then expect a lot of goals.
- How can you explain the fact that in the second stage, the giants are very difficult to play against the "dwarfs". And the Czechs even lost to the Germans.
“But you can’t do it without sensations.” We were fine tuned to the opponent. It simply did not succeed in breaking through this defense for a long time. Therefore, fell at some points on an individual game.
- Switzerland is also not a very serious rival. Is there enough mood for her?
- And I would not like to evaluate the Swiss. This is a very strong team. It will be hard with her.
Alexey Shevchenko