Igor Cherevchenko: “We really needed this victory”

Lokomotiv's acting head coach Igor Cherevchenko told the post-match press conference there had been some tension in the team but hoped the victory will improve the players' morale.

- Cup games are always quite tense, regardless of the teams' level. On paper, there're favourites and outsiders, but when you actually start playing all can change. There was some tension in the team. When a head coach changes, it always brings stress to the players. But our spirit is strong, and the players are experienced professionals, so I think we'll be through it soon. But we really needed this victory.

- Why didn't Samedov start the game?
- The doctors advised me that I held Sasha back this time.

- Is today's game a start of the overcoming of the problems that the team faced?
- I hope so, yes. I'll say it again, we really needed this victory.

- Did the team play in full force, or did you save batteries?
- I think the players' experience allowed them to control the rhythm. We controlled the play.