Male' Maldives: As Tajikistan prepare for their second AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers clash against Maldives, Tajikistan's head coach Goran Stevanović has urged his players to remain fully focused and not be misled by past results, calling the upcoming encounter a “more difficult” test than their previous meeting.

Tajikistan secured a 2–0 win in Stevanović’s debut match in charge last Thursday at the Hisor Central Stadium, but the Serbian tactician believes the return leg in Maldives will demand greater effort and sharper concentration.

“We respect our opponent a lot, neither underestimate nor overestimate,” Stevanović said in his pre-match comments. “Now we know each other after the first game, and we both have secrets. I expect a tougher game this time. The Maldives will be playing at home, in front of their fans for the first time in nearly two years. That will be a big motivation for them.”

The coach emphasized the psychological and emotional boost the Maldivian team could gain from playing on home soil, especially in front of their own supporters after such a long absence of home fixtures.

“This will be a more uncertain match,” he added. “The home team has very good individual quality, two or three fantastic players. We are prepared and motivated, but we must be 100% focused if we want a positive result.”

Stevanović, a manager with experience in both club and national team roles, said his team has done their homework. He particularly highlighted Maldives’ performances in earlier qualifiers, which he felt were better than the scorelines suggested.

“I watched their games against the Philippines and Timor-Leste,” he said. “Against the Philippines, it was 2–1 for 80 minutes. The final result [4–1] doesn’t reflect the real picture on the pitch. And they didn’t deserve to lose against Timor-Leste either. I speak from the heart, they played better than their results show.”

Despite Maldives sitting on zero points after three games, the coach was cautious not to draw conclusions based on the standings. He recalled how close Maldives came to scoring in the final moments of the first match in Tajikistan.

“In the last minute of the first game, Maldives hit the post. If that goes in, it's 2–1 and the game changes. That’s why we must stay focused at every moment.”

He also touched on environmental factors like weather and travel but downplayed their impact, emphasizing mindset and discipline instead.

“We must adapt, that’s our job. The important thing is to maintain the right approach and attitude to the game,” he noted.

When asked about taking charge of the team mid-campaign, Stevanović said his prior experience with national teams made the transition seamless.

“It hasn’t been difficult at all,” he said. “I’ve coached national teams before, and the players here are fantastic, experienced professionals, playing both in Tajikistan and abroad. That helped me adapt quickly.”

Maldives and Tajikistan have faced each other four times in the past, with Maldives losing three of those encounters. The only positive result came in a friendly match held in Malé in 2011, which ended in a goalless draw.

Today’s match, scheduled to kick off at 15:30, marks a significant occasion for Maldives, their first international fixture in 733 days. The last time they played an international match on home soil was in October 2023.