Rafael Maharramli, captain of “Shamakhi,” commented on his team’s 1:2 loss to league leaders “Turan Tovuz” in the 10th round of the Misli Premier League.
“Turan Tovuz is currently leading the championship and has collected important points. Despite that, we prepared for the game with full determination. The opponent’s identity does not matter to us; we approach every match aiming for maximum results. We played superior football, but the outcome was that the opponent scored twice from set-pieces and won. We knew their standard situations, corners, and throw-ins, and practiced them in training. Luck also plays a role. Sometimes goals happen that are hard to describe in words, and this was one of those cases. Football includes such moments. This match was a valuable experience for us. Now we are focusing on the game against Imishli,” Maharramli said.
The 26-year-old also addressed the poor condition of the Tovuz city stadium pitch: “They should have waited a few months before playing at the Tovuz pitch, but that’s how it turned out. It affected our game. After 10 minutes, the stadium surface became almost unusable. Nevertheless, we tried and fought. Apart from the throw-ins, we hardly allowed the opponent any serious chances,” he told sportal.az.
Maharramli expressed that his team deserves a higher position in the league table: “Of course, the football we play does not match our current position. Results are important, but playing quality football is equally important. I believe we will improve our results and climb higher in the standings.”
Looking ahead to the next round against “Imishli,” he said: “Imishli started the season very well. Although they are a new team, they have quality players. But, as I always say, it doesn’t matter who the opponent is. We approach every match with the same desire and motivation. This is one of those games, and we will go out aiming for the highest possible result.”
