Azerbaijan round-up: Karabakh knocked off their perch
Monday, July 14, 2003
Article summary
FK Karabakh-Azersun fell 2-0 against FK Neftchi, enabling FC Shafa to overtake them.
Article body
FK Karabakh-Azersun slipped from the top of the table after falling 2-0 against FK Neftchi, enabling FC Shafa to overtake them.
Neftchi in charge
Neftchi were fully in charge from the moment Vadim Vasiljev took advantage of an error by Adaim Niftaliev in the 43rd minute to give his side the lead. Nadyr Nabiev sealed the win in the second half after good work from Elchin Rakhmanov.
Shamkir made to sweat
Elsewhere, FK Shamkir were made to sweat by a hard-working FK Khazar Sumgayit. The turning point came in the second half when Shamkir were leading 2-1 and Khazar had a goal disallowed. Khalig Mardanov's 82nd-minute strike then made it 3-1 and settled matters.
Spectacular goal
FK MOIK Baku fell 2-1 against FK Khazar Universiteti. Zaur Hashymov spectacularly beat goalkeeper Anar Bayramov from the centre circle to give Universiteti the lead after nine minutes. Elshan Mamedov's shot took a wild deflection off a defender to double Khazar's advantage and they held on for the three points despite Jamal Mamedov's late penalty for MOIK.
Other games
FK Dinamo Baku beat FK Adliyye 2-0, with a goal apiece from Ramin Agaev and Tarlan Makhmudov while FK Kapaz lost again, this time 3-1 at home against FK Lokomotiv Imishli. Finally, FK Umid forfeited their game against FK Bakili after failing to show up.
