Robert Arzumanyan: "This is football, we lost. But the second leg is ahead"

Urartu Yerevan head coach Robert Arzumanyan commented on his team’s 1-2 home loss to Neman Grodno in the first leg of the UEFA Europa Conference League 2025/26 first qualifying round.

Robert Arzumanyan's post-match press conference:
— This was our first official match, and that was evident on the pitch. There was nervousness, which only increased in the second half. I’m satisfied with the team's performance—especially with their character. At the start of the second half, we were very inattentive and conceded two quick goals.

We’ll play better in the return leg, now that we’ve had our first official game and will be better prepared. It’s clear that the opponent is in the middle of their season and in good form.

Everything we expected from them—that’s exactly what we saw. We made some mistakes, but the opponent didn’t surprise us.

I’m pleased with Yevhen Tsymbalyuk’s performance. Yes, he was tired by the end, like many others, as it's just the beginning of the season, but overall, I’m happy with his play.

When choosing the starting lineup, we also consider who can come off the bench and bring energy to the game. That’s why Nikolas Kaloukian started as a substitute, but he strengthened our game in the second half and scored. He’s a good striker and did his job.

The red card, of course, was Gor Matinyan’s fault—as any sending-off is. He’s still young and needs to control his emotions, especially as a goalkeeper. But Matinyan had a great match. He’s a very good keeper and could become Armenia’s number one for many years.

This is football—we lost. But the second leg is coming. We are capable of beating this team and will do everything to make it happen. The second match will be completely different—we’ll be more cohesive and in better shape. There were no negative emotions in the locker room; everyone understands that nothing is lost yet.

Andrija Dragojevic is in good shape and can replace Gor Matinyan in the return match.

The second leg will take place on July 17 in the Hungarian city of Győr.