Vahe Gevorgyan ahead of Yelimay clash: “It will be an interesting game”

Alashkert head coach Vahe Gevorgyan answered journalists’ questions ahead of the second leg of the UEFA Conference League first qualifying round against Kazakhstan’s Yelimay.

The match will take place in Semey on July 16. The first leg between the teams, held in Yerevan, ended in a 1–1 draw. The winners of the tie will advance to the second qualifying round, where they will face Romanian side CFR Cluj.

Vahe Gevorgyan’s press conference

— How are you planning to approach the second leg: defensively, offensively or with both teams playing open football?

— We knew that Yelimay had a very good coach and a strong squad. I can say that the supporters can expect a very interesting match. I cannot reveal anything more.

— What prevented you from winning the home match?

— We were a little nervous at the beginning of the game. For many of the players, it was their first experience in European competition. In addition, we had not yet found our match rhythm. We lost concentration in several situations and conceded after one of those moments. We have analysed everything, worked on our mistakes and are ready for the second leg.

— Are you satisfied with the number of goalscoring chances your team created?

— Of course not, but that was how the match developed. The opposition offered a very physical game with plenty of duels. I liked Yelimay. Two evenly matched teams faced each other on the pitch. It is difficult to expect a large number of goalscoring opportunities in matches like this.

It was balanced football. I expect a similar game in the second leg because there is a great deal at stake — a place in the next round. The most important thing is to remain focused throughout the match and take our chances.

— Yelimay’s matches are played in front of packed stands. Considering that such an atmosphere is not very common in Armenia, could it negatively affect your team?

— Of course, it is an advantage for the home side. Yelimay have a large fan base, and their stadium’s average attendance exceeds 80 percent of its capacity. We expect a full stadium.

We have played in similar conditions before and know how to use such an atmosphere to our advantage. We will try to prepare for the match better than our opponents from a psychological point of view.

— The draw in the first leg leaves both teams with equal chances. What could be the deciding factor in the return match?

— From the beginning, I assessed the teams’ chances as 50–50. I still consider them equal. The deciding factors will be the players’ concentration and how the teams take advantage of their opportunities.

— Alashkert had not played an official match for a long time, while Yelimay are in the middle of their season. Is that a major advantage for your opponents?

— It was already noticeable in the first match. I said that the large number of games they had played gave us an opportunity to study our opponents better. However, Yelimay were ahead of us in terms of match rhythm.

I hope that we will improve after our first competitive match and perform better in the second leg.

— Several new signings appeared in the first match. What condition are the other players in, and can we expect any more debuts?

— It is possible. Two new signings started the first match, while another two came on as substitutes. We were unable to register Daniel Aghbalyan for the first qualifying round. Adebayo has not yet made his debut either.

The course of the match will show what type of player and which position the team will need.