Artak Oseyan: “We expected more from the team, but it is important that we won again”

Pyunik head coach Artak Oseyan reflected on the second leg of the UEFA Conference League first qualifying round tie against Maltese side Marsaxlokk.

The match in Yerevan ended in a 1–0 victory for the Armenian club. Daniil Kulikov scored the only goal from the penalty spot in the 80th minute. The visitors had been playing with ten men since the tenth minute following the dismissal of goalkeeper Christopher Mafoumbi.

Pyunik won the tie 4–0 on aggregate and advanced to the second qualifying round of the Conference League, where they will face Hungarian club Debrecen.

Artak Oseyan’s press conference

The head coach’s opening remarks:

— We expected more from our team today. Our creativity and speed in attack were not at the highest level. However, it is important that we also finished the second leg with a victory.

— Was the slow tempo caused by the players’ lack of readiness, or did the result of the first match affect their performance?

— Yes, the result of the first match affected the game. In addition, our opponents received a red card early in the match, which also influenced the way the game developed.

— You worked with Hovhannes Harutyunyan at both Ararat-Armenia and Pyunik. Do you not think that he looks like a completely different player at Pyunik?

— He has always been a good footballer. A lot depends on how he is used. In any case, we are pleased that Hovhannes is in our team, and we expect him to return to his best form.

— What can you say about the left-footed Nikolaos Kainouryios, who plays as a left-sided centre-back? You also had another left-footed defender who moved to Noah. Did you want to keep him at the club?

— To be honest, we did not plan to keep him in the squad, but we offered him the opportunity to leave on loan. He did not agree, so he left the club on a permanent basis. As for Kainouryios, he is useful to the team, which is why he receives playing time. There is strong competition in defence, and the best player will always play.

— How do you assess the upcoming schedule? You now have to travel to Hungary for the match against Debrecen and then return home.

— It is normal. As long as the flight is not too difficult, there is nothing to worry about. However, under the current circumstances, it is almost always difficult for us to reach the venues of our away matches, so there are certain challenges.

— Hovhannes Harutyunyan played in the attacking three today, although we are more accustomed to seeing him in central midfield. Is there a specific position for him in the team, or will it depend on the situation?

— Hovhannes is a versatile player, but for me he is a number eight or a number six. We were forced to change our formation. I hope we will soon be able to return to our usual system, in which every player will operate in his natural position.

— You have worked in Armenian football for a long time. Pyunik were significantly superior to their opponents in both matches, although we do not always see such dominance even in the Armenian championship. Can we now say that Armenian clubs are stronger than Maltese teams and should beat them through their superior quality?

— I agree that Armenian club football has improved significantly. However, it would be wrong to judge all of Maltese football solely on the basis of this tie. Every team must be assessed separately. Our opponents were not weak either; we simply played a very good first leg away from home.

— If the Armenian championship switches to a spring-to-autumn format and the clubs begin their European campaigns in the middle of the domestic season, will that have a positive effect on their results?

— I think so. In that case, we would perform better in European competitions. In addition, we do not have the necessary infrastructure to play properly during the winter. Therefore, switching to a spring-to-autumn format would benefit Armenian football.