Tarkovič sees many positives in the Slovak game: It was again a solid performance on our part! – Športky.sk

BRATISLAVA – The Slovak national football team suffered a serious rift on Saturday in an attempt to advance to the World Cup in Qatar. At home she lost to Croatia 0: 1 and in the first two thirds of the September qualifying triple match she scored a single point, although coach Štefan Tarkovič and the players agreed that they would deserve six points for the performances.

The Slovaks drew 1: 1 in Slovenia and reached at least one point in front of 9,000 fans at the National Football Stadium in Bratislava. With 86 minutes played, seemingly due to lack of experience, Marcelo Brozovič needlessly tripped an opponent just outside the penalty area, but the free kick that followed didn’t succeed. “It was again a solid performance on our part. Even though it was lost, the spectators appreciated the team’s performance after the final whistle. We put everything into it, we ran a lot, it hurt a lot, but it’s about modern football. One shot decided, definitely we deserved more, “ Captain Marek Hamšík said on the post-match press.

The defender Milan Škriniar agreed with him, who described the decisive moment of the match: “What I saw from the field, we missed the player on the rebound ball. We could have done better, but it was a beautiful shot, there were about ten players in the penalty area and some of them went somehow to the stick. There is always more to do, but, unfortunately “I think it’s a great hit.”

Commendations to Lobotka

Although the Slovaks did not score, they worked out several opportunities against their favorite opponent. After the match in Slovenia, they again showed the game progress compared to the European Championship, where they did not shoot even once in two duels with Sweden and Spain. All three respondents highlighted the contribution of Stanislav Lobotka as a defensive shield, who started playing again at the club level in the new season at SSC Napoli. “For me, Stanislav Lobotka was an important player both before the European Championships and before the March association date. In my opinion, we do not have a typologically similar player. it was obvious that he was of such quality that he was part of the national team. He returned it with his performances and I dare say that he can play even better, “ stressed Tarkovich.

His charges will end the September triple match on Tuesday (8.45 pm) in the same place against Cyprus, where they played without goals. In the fourth place, the tables lag behind the leading Russia and the second Croatia by four points. “We want to catch up in the next match and in October, when we play a double match in Croatia and Russia. I realize that we could have had six points after these performances, but we got one. The points can’t be replaced. I believe that we will be able to carry out the final phase more efficiently and we will still be in the game of progress. “ added the Slovak coach and in the post-match evaluation he highlighted the role of home fans: “They came to support us and created a very nice and energetic atmosphere. The players returned it to them and part of the performance also belongs to the spectators.”

• The author: © List
• Source: TASR