Sandro Schwarz: I am proud of character and dedication of our team

— Today there was a tough game with a lot of tackles. I am proud of the dedication of the guys and how they fought on the pitch. Our players showed off their best qualities and fighting spirit. We had a difficult week after the defeat against Nizhny Novgorod. It brought us three injuries. I am happy that we managed to earn our first victory at the Fisht Stadium and took three points against such a serious opponent.

— Many people were surprised seeing Vyacheslav Grulyov enter the starting line-up as a centre-forward. Did this move pay off?

— I am satisfied how Grulyov showed himself in the match. He spent the last training weeks very well, so he came on from the first minutes. Tyukavin remained on the bench and came out with fresh energy in the second half. Today we demonstrated the will to win, that’s why I am very happy.

— What can you say about Igor Leshchuk’s play?

— Igor played a great match today and kept the clean sheet. He became an important factor in the final victory. I am not surprised that Igor played such a high-quality game. We could see his skills last season in the matches against Lokomotiv and CSKA. I would like to mention our whole goalkeeping team — all three goalkeepers are very important for us.

— In the second half, the team switched to a scheme with three centre-backs. What was the reason for this move?

— The course of the game dictated us this move. At half-time, we explained to the guys that we would switch to a scheme with three centre-backs. The forces of Sebastian Szymanski are not unlimited, so we decided to replace him 15 minutes after the interval and switch to another tactical scheme. We needed to play more reliably in defense, given that there were a lot of crosses from both wings.

— What can you say about Roman Yevgenyev’s appearance?

— Roman came on very well, so I can only say flattering words about his actions today. It is very important for us that the players coming on as substitutes are ready to give everything on the pitch.

— In a recent interview, you said that you were most angry at the actions of the team last season in the matches against Krylia Sovetov, Rubin and Khimki. Today, the team won, but departed from their principles for most of the second half. Did it make you angry?

— The course of the match suggested this style of play. The opponent showed themselves well, and we had to react somehow. We defended well in our penalty area, and I am proud of the character and our will to win.

— After the cancelled goal by Nikola Moro, Dynamo could not enter the Sochi penalty area for 20 minutes. Did you intentionally give up the initiative, or it was the merit of the opponent?

— Today we played deeper than usual, but it is worth noting that we had quite a lot of goalscoring chances when we ran out on counterattacks. There are such matches when the opponent forces you to cling to the goal.

— What was the reason for Arsen Zakharyan's substitution during the break?

— We didn't want to risk Arsen's health. He felt a slight muscle discomfort, and we didn’t want to make him more harm. So we decided to replace him.

— Fabián Balbuena was named the best player of the match. Did he deserve this award?

— I think this is an absolutely deserved award. I would like to mention all the defensive players who showed full dedication.

— The two-match winless streak ended. Has it become psychologically easier for you?

— This victory will give us more strength and energy. We reacted to the defeat against Nizhny Novgorod as we should do.

— Do you plan to give a rest to a number of key players in the Russian Cup match on Wednesday?

— Tomorrow we will have a recovery training session for those who did not play today or spent less time on the pitch. We will decide on the starting line-up for the Cup match later.