The head coach of Cherno More Ilian Iliev was pleased with the three points won against Septemvri Sofia, but warned that the Varna team still has serious shortcomings that they need to work on. The “Mariners“ won 2:0 at the “Ticha“ stadium in a match from the 12th round of the efbet League and recorded only their second victory since the beginning of the season.
The success was especially important for the Varna team, who had not won a championship match since August. With the three points, Cherno More overtook Septemvri in the standings and left the capital team in last position.
After the match, Iliev praised his players for their performance in the first half, when the hosts scored both of their goals. According to the coach, however, the team lost some of its control after the break and allowed the opponent to create too many dangers in front of his goal.
„It is normal to be satisfied because we needed these three points. The first half was very good for us and we managed to create enough chances. We had the opportunity to decide everything before the break, but we did not take advantage and left the match open“, the specialist commented to DIEMA SPORT.
He noted that Septemvri acted more risky in the second half, but stressed that this did not justify the chances allowed by Cherno More. Iliev paid special attention to the problems with crosses and the organization in defense.
„In the second half, the opponent may have taken more risks, but we should not allow them to get to situations so easily. Especially with crosses, we need to be better organized. We already had a similar match against Lokomotiv Sofia, when we were leading 2:0, but then we allowed an equalizer. This time, luck was on our side a little bit“, admitted the coach.
According to him, the pressure also had an impact on the players' performance. When a team is pressured by the need to win at all costs, the task becomes more difficult, but Iliev positively assessed the efforts of his players and emphasized the importance of the three points.
Despite the victory and the first clean sheet on the Black Sea coast during the campaign, the coach did not hide his concerns about the defensive actions. According to him, the players should be more aggressive in single combat and not give so much free space to the opposing players.
„In one-on-one situations, we stand too far from the opponents and allow them to cross. And with any such ball, anything can happen. It was from such situations that the dangerous shots on our goal came. If we want to get out of this difficult situation, we have to play better in defense“, said Ilian Iliev.
The victory over Septemvri gives Varna a breath of fresh air, but the coach's words show that the team has no intention of relying solely on the final result. After the important success, Cherno More will have to build on its performance and eliminate the weaknesses that continue to cause problems for the team.