Following a historic victory for FC RFS at Daugava Stadium against Ajax Amsterdam, RFS manager Viktors Morozs addressed the media during the post-match press conference. He emphasized the significance of the win and shared his hopes for what this triumph will bring to Latvian football.
‘There aren’t many words to describe it—this is a historic win, and defeating Ajax is especially significant for Latvian football. I want to extend a huge thank you to every player who participated today, whether they played from the start or came off the bench. They are the real heroes, and each player contributed to the team’s success on the pitch tonight. Winning against Ajax was something I never even dreamed of.” Morozs said in his opening statement.
”The game unfolded as we expected, with Ajax controlling most of the ball. Our players were well-prepared for that game plan.” the manager told when asked about the game. RFS focused on counterattacks, and Morozs acknowledged the importance of solid defense to create those opportunities. This strategy culminated in only RFS goal, with Markhiev intercepting a pass and launching a counterattack.
Morozs stated that he was very pleased with the first half. ”Ajax only had one major scoring chance, so our defense did great, while our attacking players were able to position themselves well, creating opportunities for their teammates.” Morozs pointed out that chances would arise if they continued to play as they did in the first half, especially since Ajax’s defenders often struggled to win second balls.
Morozs also admitted that RFS did not want to expose themselves too much against Ajax, as it could lead to significant problems given the quality of Ajax’s players.
When asked about his hopes for what this historic win would mean for Latvian football, Morozs expressed his desire for more children to play football and for a greater understanding among people that we can compete and win against big teams in this competition. ‘‘Not everyone here understands [referring to general population of Latvia] the significance of being in the Europa League, but perhaps now some will.”