Levski midfielder Serginho commented on the victory over Kairat in the first leg of the third qualifying round of the Champions League. The scorer of the only goal stated that the Bulgarian team was determined to win from the very beginning of the match. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Kursiv Media.
"It was a difficult match, but we were determined to win from the start. We played a very good game, and this victory is absolutely deserved. A match lasts 90 minutes, sometimes a little longer, but we always take to the field only for victory," Serginho was quoted as saying by Sports.kz.
Serginho noted that the desire to play for victory is a common mindset of Levski, instilled by head coach Julio Velázquez.
"We have an incredibly united team. We always play only to win. The head coach conveys this attitude to us. He thinks only about the upcoming match, and we adhere to the same approach," the footballer said.
At the same time, Levski is not yet fully focused on the return leg against Kairat. Before traveling to Kazakhstan, the Bulgarian team has a match in the national championship.
"There is a very important game ahead in which we must win. First we need to win on Friday, and then strive to beat Kairat," Serginho added.
Recall that the meeting in Sofia ended 1:0 in favor of the hosts. Levski had the advantage for most of the match and made 13 shots, while Kairat did not register a single attempt. The only goal was scored in the 90+2nd minute: after Serginho's shot from outside the box, the ball ricocheted off Aleksandr Martynovich into the net past Temirlan Anarbekov.
The return match between Kairat and Levski will take place on August 11 in Turkistan. The winner of the tie will compete for a place in the Champions League group stage against Greek club AEK. The loser will drop into the Europa League qualifying and will face either Greek club PAOK or Belgian side Anderlecht.