On the eve of Uzbekistan's match against Congo, scheduled for June 28 in Atlanta, a press conference was held with head coach Fabio Cannavaro and team captain Eldor Shomurodov.

Captain Eldor Shomurodov emphasized the importance of scoring goals for victory, but not forgetting defense: "Of course, first of all, we must not forget about defense. We should not concede many goals trying to score many. For us, the most important thing is victory. Therefore, we will try to score more goals and win. We want to achieve a beautiful victory through disciplined play."

Shomurodov spoke about the support of fans: "Our fans at the stadium give us strength. It is always said that fans are the 12th player. We feel the support not only of those who came to the stadium, but of all Uzbekistan. We thank them for their support and ask them to continue supporting us."

Head coach Fabio Cannavaro acknowledged Congo as a strong opponent: "Congo is a strong, experienced, and physically powerful team. To be honest, I was more worried about this match than the games against Colombia and Portugal. I always believed Congo would be a very difficult opponent. Tomorrow I expect a different game because they will have less pressure than when playing against teams like Portugal."

Regarding the team's morale after the heavy loss to Portugal, Cannavaro stated: "Undoubtedly, everyone wants to win. That's natural. But for me, the most important thing is that the players give their all on the field. I know that if they give their best, the result can be good."

Shomurodov explained why he played more in midfield against Portugal: "It depends on how the game goes. Against such strong players, the team has to defend more, making it harder to go forward. In such moments, I try to help the team in defense. But that doesn't mean we should only focus on defense – we must also attack. Tomorrow, I think it will be a bit different, as we will try to control the ball more."

Cannavaro commented on using two different goalkeepers in two matches: "We have three good goalkeepers. When an opportunity arises, we must give them playing time. They can make mistakes, I don't mind, because we only grow through mistakes."

The head coach also spoke about the development of Uzbek football: "I think this shows that we need to develop not only Uzbek football but all of Asian football. We, foreign coaches, come to Uzbekistan not to change things but to help improve. My goal is not to destroy the traditions of Uzbek football but to help players develop."

The match will take place on June 28 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, kicking off at 04:30 Tashkent time.

Source: www.gazeta.uz