“We had belief because our team had shown great determination up to this point. Before the match, I told the players to stay calm. The opponent was the world champion, but we were not inferior to them.”
Speaking to Futbolxeber.az, the President of the Azerbaijan Minifootball Federation, Orkhan Mammadov, reflected on the national team’s stunning win over Romania in the Round of 16 at the Minifootball World Championship, Idman.biz reports.
Highlighting the significance of the win, Mammadov said:
“There was some tension in the team during the first half. But after the break, the players composed themselves. Especially during the penalty shootout, they showed confidence. I truly believe we achieved a historic victory — we defeated the reigning world champions. Still, there’s no time to relax. Tougher challenges await us.”
He emphasized that the win was well-deserved:
“Yes, penalties are always a lottery. We lost on penalties to Kazakhstan in the quarterfinals of the last European Championship. But this time, we were prepared — mentally and technically. The team earned this victory through resilience and hard work.”
Looking ahead to the next match, Mammadov noted:
“The next round will be even tougher. England is a strong opponent. There are no easy games at this stage. But we believe in our team. Playing at home in front of our fans is a small but meaningful advantage.”
He also expressed gratitude to supporters:
“I’d like to thank our fans and fan clubs. The atmosphere in the arena was electric. All tickets were sold hours before kickoff, which shows how much people care about minifootball and our national team. I hope we get the same amazing support in the match against England.”
When asked whether he was more nervous during last year’s Conference League penalty shootout win with Zirə or the recent match against Romania, Mammadov replied:
“I remember that game. We reached the playoffs thanks to that win. The emotions were similar. But here, you don’t get much time to celebrate — the next challenge comes quickly. Victories like this make football worth loving and developing.”
Idman.biz
