“Of course, it would have been better if we had taken points, but despite that, our players were more determined in yesterday’s match,” Yunis Huseynov, coach of Turan Tovuz, told AZERTAC, commenting on Azerbaijan’s 1-2 away loss to Ukraine in the 2026 World Cup qualifying match.
The expert noted that, regardless of the result, the players fought until the end and showed determination. “We built our game on defense and focused on counterattacks, which paid off. In the 43rd minute, we caught the opponent on a counter and scored a goal. We also created a dangerous situation on a counter in the 4th minute. If that had resulted in a goal, the match could have turned out very differently. Unfortunately, we lost.”
The former member of the national team added that the score reflected the game: “The opponents also had opportunities and played well. I think the result was fair. In one episode, the referee could have shown a red card. If VAR had been used, the decision might have been different. But this is football, everyone can make mistakes, referees and players alike. The main thing is to focus on upcoming matches. I wish our team success in the matches in Baku.”
Following this result, Azerbaijan remains last in the group with one point, while Ukraine, now on seven points, holds second place. Their previous encounter in Baku ended in a 1-1 draw.
