Estonia captain Karol Mets admitted his team were left frustrated after a 1–1 draw with Moldova in Tallinn, a result that ensured they stayed above their opponents in the World Cup qualifying group but extended the home winless run for another year.
It was a bittersweet evening for the 31-year-old defender, who completed his first full 90 minutes in almost eleven months. “Physically, I’d trained hard and was ready for it,” Mets said afterwards. “I didn’t know if I’d play the whole game, but once I felt good after 60 minutes, there was no reason to come off. I’m just glad to get a full match done again.”
Estonia had looked sharp early on, taking the lead in the 12th minute when Mattias Käit fired in from outside the box after a pass from Michael Schjönning-Larsen. But Moldova fought back after the break, equalising midway through the second half through Stefan Bodisteanu, whose long-range effort deflected beyond Karl Jakob Hein.
Mets, who anchored the back line alongside Maksim Paskotši, said the team allowed the visitors back into the game through their own errors. “For me, we were clearly the better team — we dominated and controlled the game,” he reflected. “But we let them back in with mistakes — bad passes, poor decisions. Moldova didn’t do anything special; we gave them chances ourselves.”
He admitted that Estonia’s tendency to lose rhythm after taking the lead remains an issue: “We just needed to be more patient with the ball and make simpler choices. A second goal would’ve killed the game. Instead, we rushed a bit and gave them space.”
Despite a solid performance on his return, Mets acknowledged he is still finding full sharpness. “I didn’t feel tired, but I made some decisions that I wouldn’t make if I were playing regularly. It’s about rhythm — the more I play, the more natural it gets.”
The draw means Estonia end the year without a home victory, though the result keeps them ahead of Moldova in the standings. In a quiet dressing room afterwards, Mets tried to balance realism with perspective. “Of course it’s sad. There was no celebration — everyone felt the same. But we have to stay positive and keep working. We reached the minimum goal of not letting Moldova overtake us, but we’re not satisfied.”
With one qualifier remaining, away to Norway next month, the captain’s focus now shifts back to his club situation. “A lot has happened while I’ve been out,” he said. “There are four players competing for my position now. I just have to keep training hard and wait for my chance. If I do that, I’ll get back to where I need to be.”
Source: https://soccernet.ee/artikkel/kapten-mets-oleme-kurvad-aga-peame-vaatama-optimistlikult-tulevikku
