Costly mistakes led to defeat - Azerbaijan U-19 coach

Azerbaijan’s U-19 futsal team head coach Ilgar Aslanov admitted that his squad made crucial errors, which Bosnia and Herzegovina capitalized on in their UEFA European Championship main round match.

"We made serious mistakes, and our opponents made the most of them," Aslanov told the Futsal Federation’s press service.

Aslanov acknowledged that Bosnia and Herzegovina were superior in terms of tactics, technique, and physical preparedness:

"Our opponents are a strong team with considerable experience. They were tactically, technically, and physically well-prepared. They are among the main contenders for the top spot in our group. Unfortunately, we couldn’t execute our game plan, and the players seemed unable to overcome their initial nervousness. As a result, we conceded an early goal, made critical mistakes, and the opposition took full advantage."

The coach also noted that his team failed to follow pre-match instructions:

"We had analyzed their style of play and warned our players that they would press from the very first seconds. We had studied their games and explained what to expect. However, the team was unable to implement our strategy. I don’t completely blame them, as they lack experience at this level. This match will serve as a valuable learning experience for them. They saw everything we discussed play out on the field, and I hope they will learn from it."

The match, held at Ribnjak Sports Hall in Omiš, Croatia, ended in a 10-2 victory for Bosnia and Herzegovina.