Qarabag advances toward UEFA Champions League group stage.
If Azerbaijani champions Qarabag can successfully overcome the obstacle of Shkendija, whom they defeated 1-0 in Skopje, they will face a familiar opponent next. In the last three years, Qarabag have eliminated both Ferencvaros and Ludogorets, securing impressive away victories (3-1 and 7-2 respectively), even though they struggled at home. The question is: have those teams learned their lesson from previous "football schooling"?
Shkendija does not seem capable of creating major problems for Qarabag, who secured their third consecutive victory in European competition this season. Qarabag have already proven their superiority over North Macedonian teams like Metalurg Skopje (1:1, 5:2, 1:0, 2:0) and Sileks (4:0) in the past.
In the match against Shkendija, the home side had a slight edge in shots on target (7-6), but they hardly created any real scoring opportunities in Qarabag's box.
Although Shkendija’s players showed technical skill, their lack of European experience was evident. One notable moment was Jamaican player Ronaldo Webster, playing out of position at right back with jersey number 11, successfully dribbling past several Qarabag players in midfield during the first half, earning praise.
Shkendija’s most experienced player, Besart Ibraimi, has scored 29 goals in European competitions, more than any Qarabag player ever has. Still, expecting the 39-year-old striker to deliver the same performance as in his prime would be naïve.
Qarabag controlled the match for the full 90 minutes. Even though they didn’t create many chances, they comfortably secured the result they needed. One positive note was the return of team heartbeat Marko Jankovic after recovering from injury.
Among the new signings, Brazilian midfielder Pedro Bicalho has impressed, starting all three matches so far under head coach Gurban Gurbanov. In the second half, Ivorian midfielder Chris Kouakou was also given minutes. Moroccan center-back Samy Mmaee and Brazilian right-back Dani Bolt remained on the bench. The latest signing, Spanish midfielder Joni Montiel, was not even included in the match squad for the Shkendija games.
On the downside, last season’s top scorer Leandro Andrade appeared ineffective. The team’s attack, largely dependent on Nariman Akhundzada, is unlikely to make a serious impact in the Champions League at this rate.
Kady was also far from his best form and made frequent mistakes. Still, Gurban Gurbanov said: “We shouldn’t be discussing this today because we must also consider the strength of the opponent.” Yet he acknowledged: “He may have looked weak in some episodes,” and explained: “Opposing defenders paid special attention to him. Not every player can perform at the same level for 90 minutes.”
Here’s a brief summary of Gurbanov’s thoughts on the first and return legs: “Winning away was very important. We made many mistakes during the game, but ultimately got the result we needed. We need to be more focused at home against Shkendija, because they are not a team that likes to lose.”
One more hurdle lies ahead. Qarabag is closer than ever to reaching the Champions League group stage for the first time since 2017. But with the current squad, it won’t be an easy journey.
Rasim Movsumzadeh
Idman.biz
