Mladen Bartulovich: "We believed until the end that we would score this goal"

After the labor victory over "Kudrivka," the head coach of "Metalist 1925" Mladen Bartulovich talked about goals from substitute players, the team's schedule, and defensive work:

— Yes, a very tough match. After the last two matches against "Dynamo" and "Veres," there were a lot of emotions. It was difficult to prepare both physically and emotionally. The guys had a hard time. But I thank them for their character. They showed it and added to it in the second half. I believe our victory is deserved because we were the team that wanted to score and win.

— What was the key today that allowed you to push the opponent?

— Belief. We believed until the end that we would score this goal. Substitutions worked again - Mba came on and scored, this goal was very important for us. I am very happy about it.

— Today you released two forwards at the same time. Were you going all in?

— Yes, of course. About ten minutes before the end, we decided to play like that. Itodo and Mba came on together for the first time, and it paid off. That's the most important thing.

— Ahead is another busy schedule. What are the team's immediate plans?

— Morning training, recovery. The most important thing is to recover physically and emotionally. And to focus as much as possible on the cup match on Wednesday.

— For the third match in a row, the decisive goal is scored by a substitute player. Is this a coaching instinct?

— I always tell the guys that everyone should be prepared and ready for their chance. You have to use your opportunities. The guys come on and help the team achieve results. We don't have just 11 players, but many more. We have a good team atmosphere, and that's how we achieve such results.

— Does the team feel pressure from talks about the fight for European competitions and the Ukrainian Cup?

— If you want to compete for top positions, there will always be pressure. We have to get used to it. I believe that compared to the first round, we have added and are dealing better with this pressure.

— The team has a streak of 5 matches without conceding a goal. Can we say that defense is the key to the team's current results?

— Everyone talks about defense, but the whole team works in defense. Starting from the attackers and wingers, we press the opponent. It's the team's merit.