“In the match between Kapaz and Araz-Nakhchivan, despite the Nakhchivan team being the favorite, the hosts’ recent improvements could not be ignored.”
This was the assessment of Arif Asadov, the former head coach of the Azerbaijan national team, in an interview with Idman.biz, where he analyzed the 14th-round matches of the Azerbaijan Premier League.
Regarding the Kapaz vs. Araz- Nakhchivan match (0-2), Asadov noted that the guests' consecutive victories were no coincidence: “The game showed that the visitors’ winning streak is well-deserved. The team is now well-formed and is a contender for a European competition spot. Everyone should now be aware of the strength of Araz-Nakhchivan.”
When discussing the Sabail vs. Qarabag match (0-3), Asadov stated there was no need to explain Qarabag’s strength: “It was clear to everyone. Sabail is struggling with a shortage of players and injuries, which made it feel like Qarabag treated this as a test match. They fielded their main players in preparation for their next European fixture. The early minutes were challenging for Qarabag, but I believe this was due to the pitch. Sabail had a solid tactical approach, and Javid Huseynov seemed to have analyzed Qarabag well, so they tried to play compactly, but the fatigue within the squad was evident.”
Regarding the Neftchi vs. Zira match (2-1), Asadov emphasized the importance of 3 points for both teams, and praised Neftchi for securing the win: “Had the visitors won, they would have closed in on the top spots. Neftchi, however, needed to escape the relegation zone. The match was evenly contested, but the Baku team made the most of their opportunities and sealed the win.”
In the Sumgayit vs. Shamakhi match (1-2), the former coach found the game to be quite competitive: “The visitors took the lead, but Sumgayit increased the pressure, and it was clear they would score. They did just that and completed a comeback victory. Since Vagif Javadov’s arrival, Sumgayit has shown noticeable improvement.”
He also commented on the Turan Tovuz vs. Sabah match (1-1), stating that both teams lost points in this draw: “This match was crucial for both teams. Turan Tovuz was leading in the first half and even took the lead early in the second half. However, they couldn’t maintain their advantage, and both teams had to settle for one point.”
Currently, Qarabag leads the league with 34 points, having played one match fewer than their rivals. Araz-Nakhchivan sits second, just one point behind. Turan Tovuz rounds out the top three with 27 points.
Idman.biz.
