Kazakhstan national football team defender Yerkin Tapalov commented on the team's disappointing results in the UEFA Nations League, infohub.kz reports.
At a pre-match press conference, the player acknowledged that the team's performance in the current edition of the tournament has not met expectations. He also recalled that the team had already shown its potential in previous years.
"Unfortunately, the results of recent matches have disappointed us. As you know, we can play football and have proven it in previous years. However, this year we have not managed to achieve the same results," Tapalov said.
According to the defender, the national team is currently undergoing a period of squad renewal. Young players have joined the team and need time to adapt and achieve high results.
"Right now, certain changes are taking place in our team, one could say a restructuring. Many young players have come in. I think in such a situation we need to be patient and give the team time. I am confident that in the near future this will bring results," the player emphasized.
Tapalov also spoke about the team's mindset for the upcoming match against Slovakia.
"We are ready for tomorrow's match. The players who are one hundred percent ready will take the field. We will play for our fans, for our country, and will do everything possible to win tomorrow," the defender added.
Recall that Kazakhstan will play its final UEFA Nations League group stage match against Slovakia on November 16. The game will take place at Astana Arena and kick off at 20:00 local time.
The Slovak team has already secured first place in the group, while the Kazakh players will aim to finish their campaign with a positive result.