Flora head coach Konstantin Vassiljev said his side’s late-winter setbacks could prove valuable after they lost a second final in the space of four days, going down 3-1 to Nõmme Kalju in the A. Le Coq Supercup.
Flora were 2-0 behind inside the opening 10 minutes before Oscar Pihela reduced the deficit after a corner, but the match swung again after the break when Sander Alamaa was sent off. Mattias Männilaan completed his hat-trick to seal victory for Kalju, although Vassiljev said Flora still created chances at 3-1 to make the closing stages more competitive.
“Today was a more even contest,” Vassiljev told Soccernet TV after the match. “We had our chances and they had theirs – they were just a bit better in that.”
He contrasted the Supercup with Tuesday’s Livonia Cup final, when Flora were beaten 3-0 by Latvian Champions Riga FC, and said his team had wanted to take something from the intensity of that encounter. “That game was a different level and we wanted to take the mentality from it – nobody underestimated us, they went full on, and at times that difference showed,” he said.
Vassiljev admitted Flora’s start against Kalju was costly. “We can’t be satisfied with how we began, especially in the defensive phase. The opponent was sharp from the first second and maybe we fell asleep a bit,” he said.
Asked about squad depth after several senior players left in the winter and Nikita Mihhailov’s departure was confirmed, Vassiljev remained upbeat. “If Tony Varjund and Maksim Kalimullin are back, then it’s a completely OK group to choose from,” he said. “Today’s match showed it’s possible to manage even without them.”
Vassiljev added, with a smile, that the defeats were coming at the right moment: “It’s definitely a good place to make the last mistakes.”
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Source: https://soccernet.ee/artikkel/nadalaga-kaks-finaali-kaotanud-vassiljev-hea-koht-kus-viimased-apsakad-ara-teha
