Scoring defenders have always stood out in the world of football, and Nigar Mirzaliyeva, a key member of Azerbaijan’s women’s national team, is one of them.
The 23-year-old central defender has become a major threat during set pieces. She played a decisive role in Azerbaijan’s win over Turkiye during the Euro 2025 qualifiers and found the net again this April in an away match against Lithuania.
Speaking to the AFFA press service ahead of today’s home match in Baku, Mirzaliyeva expressed her determination to maintain her goal-scoring form.
– How important is your final group match against Lithuania?
– The game is crucial for us. We must win by as many goals as possible to finish top of the group. I believe in myself and in our team—we have what it takes to achieve that.
– The group winner will be determined by the Lithuania matches. Who do you think has a better chance: Azerbaijan or Montenegro?
– Montenegro is a strong team with quality players. I’m sure they’ll go all out to beat Lithuania too. But right now, we’re only focused on our own match. We’ll give everything to reach our goal.
– You beat Lithuania in the first match. What do you think of them as a team?
– They’re not weak. They play aggressively and try to create chances. But we have more strengths overall and have developed better as a team. I’m confident we’ll win in Baku.
– You scored the second goal in the win in Vilnius. Considering goal difference might matter, how do you rate your chances of scoring again?
– Scoring in Lithuania and helping my team win 2–0 was a great feeling. I hope I’ll get that opportunity again in Baku and make a difference.
– The support of fans surely matters in such a decisive match. What’s your message to them?
– Fans are a huge motivation for us. When they fill the stands, we play with extra passion. I hope the stadium is full this time, and we’ll do everything to make them proud.
– At just 23, you have a lot ahead of you. Where do you dream of playing in the future?
– I currently play for Zenit, but in the future, I’d love to play in countries like England, Spain, or France.
Idman.biz
