"Qarabag is the clear favorite."
Former Azerbaijani national team coach Arif Asadov shared his insights with Idman.biz regarding the Azerbaijan Cup quarterfinal second-leg matches scheduled for today.
He believes that Qarabag, which secured a 1-0 victory over Sabail in the first leg, is highly likely to advance: "Aghdam’s team has an 80% chance of qualifying for the next round. Of course, surprises can happen in football. However, unlike Qarabag, Sabail is fighting to stay in the Premier League. They also have injury concerns, which weakens their squad. Given their current situation, I don’t think they will prioritize this match."
Asadov also weighed in on the Sumgayit vs. Sabah clash, where the first leg ended in a goalless draw: "This game could go into extra time. Matches between teams that couldn’t score in the first leg tend to be more intriguing. It’s hard to pick a clear favorite, but I believe Sabah has a slight edge. The cup is their best chance to qualify for European competitions since their league hopes are nearly gone. Meanwhile, Sumgayit is struggling to avoid the relegation zone, so their main focus is on the Premier League. However, we shouldn’t overlook the home advantage—Sumgayit has always enjoyed strong fan support. Still, I think Sabah is more likely to win this tie."
The quarterfinals will conclude tomorrow.
Aytaj Sahed
Idman.biz
