Khilasedici head coach Jalil Jalilov has expressed his determination to build on his team's historic achievement after eliminating Portugal's Sporting Lisbon from the men's CEV Champions League.
As reported by İdman.Biz, the coach shared his thoughts on the dramatic second qualifying round victory in comments to the Azerbaijan Volleyball Federation's press service.
"It was a very intense and exciting match, which we won 3-2. We then secured a 15-13 victory in the golden set to advance to the third round. This is a first in the history of Azerbaijani men's volleyball. This success is the result of our team's unity, mutual trust and hard work. I would like to thank everyone at the club and all the supporters who have always stood by us. We have new goals ahead of us, and we will continue working with the same determination to achieve them," Jalilov said.
The coach also acknowledged the strength of the Portuguese champions, emphasizing that his players had demonstrated their character and potential against formidable opposition.
"Sporting are a strong team, and everyone knows the quality of their players. Nevertheless, our volleyball players fought until the very end and showed what they are capable of. I sincerely congratulate them on this achievement. We saw the results of proper preparation and hard work on the court," he added.
The first leg in Baku ended in a 3-2 victory for Sporting. However, Khilasedici responded with a 3-2 win in Lisbon before claiming the decisive golden set 15-13 to secure qualification for the next round.
The result marks a historic milestone for Azerbaijani men's club volleyball, with Khilasedici continuing their Champions League campaign in their debut season in the competition.
