U23 Uzbekistan hero: If we had taken a penalty, we would still have won against Vietnam

Starting to play football at the age of 9, a time that can be considered late compared to other players. But with his love for the ball, Andrey Sidorov's career has continued to blossom. The 22-year-old quickly joined the academy of Uzbekistan's most successful football team, Pakhtakor.

In the final match of the 2018 AFC U23 Championship, shortly after entering the field, Sidorov was on time to score the decisive goal that brought the historic championship to the Central Asian country.

Recently, the player who is playing for Kokand 1912 on loan shared interesting things in an exclusive interview with the newspaper.SportUzbekistan version.

- At the U23 Asian Cup, after the defeat against Qatar in the opening match, do you believe your team has the ability to become the champion?

- Honestly, after the defeat against Qatar, we did not collapse or lose confidence. On the contrary, that defeat made us try harder. With good preparation, we believed that we would go deep into the tournament. The thought of defeat never appeared in the mind of any player. Until becoming the champion, it was always like that.

- Uzbekistan plays better and better. So what is the secret behind the team's success?

- What brings us victory is unity. The players are like a family and always support each other. Because we have the same goal: to bring glory to the nation.

- Which player in the team has the most leadership qualities?

- It is difficult to name one name because the team's success is the result of the whole team. Every player on the field will give their all. Each individual has the ability to lead, control the rhythm and has a great spirit.

- How did you feel when you scored the decisive goal? The feeling of being a hero must be very happy, right?

- The moment I scored, everything was hard to describe. It was a mixture of joy, happiness and a sense of sublimation. However, I do not think that my goal brought the championship to U23 Uzbekistan.

Everyone around me said I was a hero, but I think I just did what anyone on the team would do in that situation. I just showed up at the right time.

- Vietnam played very well in the penalty shootout. If there was no goal in the last minute, do you think your team would have had a chance in the penalty shootout?

- I don't score, Uzbekistan will still beat Vietnam on penalties. Nothing will change.

- But the final match was not easy, in your opinion, how did the heavy snow affect the performance of the two teams?

- Personally, I think the weather doesn't affect us too much. Every player has to get used to playing in different weather conditions since they were young. Snow is something that cannot be changed. So we put it out of our minds and went on the field to win.

- The team's success is the collective effort. But how do you feel about the head coach?

- First of all, I would like to thank head coach Ravshan Khaydarov for what he has done. The way he works, supports and inspires us is amazing. There is no one more suitable to be the captain of the U23 team than him.

- After the historic success in China, what is the next goal of the U23 team?

- We aim for a ticket to the Olympics in Tokyo. To do this, U23 Uzbekistan needs to successfully defend the U23 Asian Championship title.

- Why did you choose to play as a striker?

- Everything came naturally to me. When I was a 5-year-old, I had a passion for football and loved to score goals. And as I grew older, I still had that passion.

- So who is your idol?

- That's Andriy Shevchenko. When I was a kid, I never missed any of his goals or matches. I followed every step of his career and always had feelings for Shevchenko. For me, he was an excellent striker.

- What is your favorite football team?

- I am a loyal fan of the English football team Manchester United. That love was passed down from my father. And now, even though I don't have much time, I still arrange to watch them play football.

- Besides football, do you have any other hobbies?

- I like a lot of things. Among them, being with family is always the number one choice.

- What about music? Who are your favorite artists? What are your favorite movies?

- During the U23 Asian Championship, I listened to his music all the time, especially the song “Chance”. It’s the Russian rapper, ST1M. As for movies, I’ve watched “Carrier” dozens of times without getting bored.

- Many players are very superstitious. Are you one of them?

- I am not a superstitious person. However, before every match, I pray to God to bring luck to me and the team.

- Thank you for the interview.