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Azerbaijani football national team - good defense with
no attack
By Imran Huseynov
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Sergei Ignashevich (L) of Russia jumps for
the ball against Branimir Subasic (R) of Azerbaijan / Photo
AFP
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Another round of the World Cup 2010 qualifying stage is
over. Unfortunately, the stage ended with another defeat of the Azerbaijani
national team from the Russian rival - 2:0. There is a feeling that the
Azerbaijani team somehow provoked the football gods and they do not want
the capricious Fortune to help the team. Let's put all in order...
In anticipation of the game, many members of the Russian national team,
such as the head coach Gus Hiddink and captain Sergei Semak, used to say
that neither Azerbaijan nor Liechtenstein, with whom the Russians will
play on Apr. 4, should be underestimated. And there truth in their words.
Perhaps Andrei Arshavin was the only from the Russian camp to confidently
state that the team would gain 6 points in the next two matches. Azerbaijani
team's forward Vagif Javadov stated intention to show himself before the
game.
This is football, everything is possible.
With regard to Azerbaijan's national team, they were clearly set for the
game despite the problems with some traumatized players. Goalkeeper Kamran
Agayev, Azerbaijan's best football player in 2008, missed the game due
to an injury. Zaur Tagizade and Zaur Ramazanov, needed players, also missed
the game. As far as the composition of the Azerbaijani national team is
concerned, it is perplexing that head coach Berti Vogts included naturalized
Serb Branimir Subasic to the team. After leaving Belgrade's Crvena Zvezda,
the forward had been looking for a new club for several months and had
lacked practice for a long time. From this standpoint, it was, to put
it mildly, inappropriate to include the player into the national team.
The further course of the match confirmed the fact. Left half-back Vugar
Nadirov and Fabio Luiz Ramima, who returned after a trauma and played
on the right flank and in the center, were entrusted with maintaining
attack of the Azerbaijani team. As for the Russian national team, it experienced
no major changes. Roman Pavlyuchenko and Andrei Arshavin took forward
positions as expected. Since his transfer to the English Premier League,
namely to the London Tottenham, Pavlyuchenko struck only four goals during
30 rounds. But during the English League Cup he would have achieved a
record cup had he struck a goal (goals in 5 successive matches) in the
final game with Manchester United. Arshavin also represented a great danger
for Azerbaijan. He ranked 11th in the FIFA poll among the best players
last year. Recently, he has moved to another London club - the Arsenal.
Let's return to the match on Luzhniki stadium which hosted over 60,000
fans. Contrary to expectations, Azerbaijani team did not play in defense
with of a hope of a counterattack.
Quite on the contrary, the team began attacking from the early start.
But the team also prevented Russians to play at a fast pace. Following
two attacks by Azerbaijani team, Russians created first dangerous situation:
Arshavin rushed into to a fine field and beat full-back. But his attempt
was failure. Azerbaijani goalkeeper Farhad Valiyev caught the ball.
At 13th minute Brazilian-origin footballer of the Azerbaijani team Fabio
Luis Ramim found a way through gates, but passed away. At 20th minute
Belgium arbiter Serzh Gumenni could have imposed a penalty to the Azerbaijani
gates, but it did not happen. At 29th minute Russian team gained a chance
to kick a fine goal from 23 meters of distance.
However untimely run of Vugar Nadirov for the ball made match's referee
to decide to enable Russian team to kick a fine goal. In meantime the
referee showed a yellow card to Nadirov. This is was first goal of the
match: 1:0. One should mention Valiyev's poor performance who almost passed
the ball from under his arm.
Following the goal Russian footballers created several dangerous situations.
The ball was in the center of the field for most of the time. On the whole,
the first time was not remarkable for anything.
Expected changes took place in the staff of the Azerbaijani team in the
second time. The beginning of the second time was marked with a sharp
attack by the Russian team at the 50th minute: Arshavin could not kick
the ball passed by Semshov.
The Azerbaijani footballers also made a number of attacks all of which
was not success. Besides attacks, the match was noticeable also for its
rudeness: five yellow cards four. Azerbaijani footballers account for
four of them. Fabio Luis Ramim received injury again. If it turns out
that Ramim's trauma is serious, it will be one more headache for Vogts.
At 64th minute Russian Alan Dzagoyev replaced captain Sergey Semak. However,
he kept the ball for a long time and Azerbaijani fullbacks could prevent
the danger. Azerbaijani player Elmar Bakhshiyev's goal passed away the
gates. At 71st minute Russian Pavlyuchenko passed a ball to Ziryanov which
ended up with a goal: 2:0.
After the match, the Russian national team coach Gus Hidding has expressed
dissatisfaction with his team's game on some points. Russian players acknowledged
that they could not play football due to the game demonstrated by the
Azerbaijani national team.
Overall, Azerbaijani team's game has caused ambivalent impression. However,
the team has demonstrated confident, smart and defense game combined with
ridiculous errors. But there were changes. The team allows fewer errors
after each match. Let's hope this trend will be continued. We should note
the performance of two full-backs in the defense line of Azerbaijani national
team - Captain Rashad Sadigov and Sasha Yunisoglu. A good performance
of Azerbaijani full-backs has caused the team missed less goals. However,
the team failed to kick a goal.
Footballers were physically well trained. The team was repeatedly criticized
due to bad physical training. However, the match with Russia's team has
showed that football players can not just stay on the field for 90 minutes,
but also to actively fight on the field. There is a progress. And we hope
that Herr Fogts will be trusted. Azerbaijani team- selectionist Nazim
Suleymanov believes that the team has a bright future.
Trend
News, 29.03.09
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