Khimki footballers did not want to take advantage of the right to 15 minutes of fame and so quickly climbed into the bus, taking them from the stadium on Vostochnaya Street, as if there was a long and difficult road home (forty minutes - there are no traffic jams on Saturday evening).
Quickly dissuaded the hero of the match, Roman Berezovsky. He was restrained and noted that, despite the victory, it was too early to relax. It seems that the club’s task is to win medals, and not to save a place in the Premier League.
Anton Arkhipov, who scored a goal and crushed the defense of “Moscow”, did not want to get off the bus in any way. Apparently, he was afraid of what he had done.
The main blow was taken by Andrei Stepanov. At first, he made excuses to someone for Estonian authorities. Then he branded the government of his country, it should be noted, very gently. And only then he was allowed to talk about football.
- In your opinion, why Khimki - the debutant of the Premier League - easily dealt with the leader?
- It is difficult to name one reason. Perhaps we have chosen the right tactics. Our team initially wanted to play reliably in defense, and look for happiness on counterattacks. It succeeded.
- And in the second half?
- Still, before the break, we scored two goals and in the second half focused on defense ...
Suddenly, the bus with the Khimki players started and started to leave.
“Your bus,” the journalists said sympathetically.
“Yes,” the footballer sadly agreed. The Khimki team, presumably, thus joined the action “Hold on, bronze soldier”.
Stepanov whistled. It turned out so bad that the referee Yury Klyuchnikov, who was standing nearby, laughed without hiding. The bus, however, stopped.
- Did you feel that the “townspeople” simply underestimated the opponent?
- No, I didn’t. I do not think that this is possible at all. They are the leaders of the championship, they really need points.
- What then?
- It seems to me that the “Moscow” was damaged by the absence of leading players, especially the main strikers. There was also Okoronkvo, Barrientos.
- Remember with whom you will have to play in the next round?
- Of course. With Saturn. This is a Moscow Region derby, the first in the Premier League. We are preparing very seriously.
- Today, Andrei Tikhonov did not play for your team. And you have won. Maybe an experienced veteran prevents the team from turning around?
- Not. Andrei’s loss is very tangible. But we did not change the tactics too much in his absence. Maybe they just concentrated and acted strictly.
Alexey Shevchenko