Idman.biz
After two rounds, this group seems to have been created not for ordinary football, but for the "most interesting scenarios." It's as if each team is playing its own unique episode according to this scenario. In the first episode—in Reykjavik—the Azerbaijani team seemed to be caught in a sudden cold: we conceded five goals and left the field with the effect of a "tire spinning on an icy road."
That match was so painful for AFFA that they immediately parted ways with Portuguese specialist Fernando Santos—apparently, patience ran out before the tea was finished.
Then, U-21 coach Aykhan Abbasov appeared on the scene, and his life-giving breath was felt on the field.
France plays the role of the "shining star" of this series. In the first round, they won against Ukraine "as usual"—blindfolded, with football majesty. But the meeting with Iceland created such drama that it felt like "if we can't keep the ball, the curtain will fall." Mbappé and his teammates saved themselves with individual skill, but now it has become clear: even if France is the favorite, it is not an "impregnable fortress," but more like "fizzy lemonade"—sometimes it tastes good in hot weather, and sometimes it suddenly overflows and scatters around.
Ukraine is trying to manage the second "episode" of the tournament—although they did not put on a performance against France in the first round, their game with us in Baku was both interesting and equal. But the main problem for this team is still getting real results: there is tempo, there is technique, but in the final stage it seems that their feet are tangled. If this continues, every lost point in the fight for second place can turn into a psychological burden.
Iceland added a "storm episode" to this series in the second round. In Reykjavik, they drowned us in vocals—with five goals. Against France, they played in such a way that they could even have won if necessary. My main criticism against them is this: they had few technical stars, and they were defeated in differential individual skill.
But they showed that they were not "dead ice" even on the road—they played serious games both at home and away. It turns out that they are real contenders for second place—and if they are a little lucky, they will become a real "nightmare" for France.
And we—Azerbaijan. The 0:5 result in Reykjavik in the first round is still remembered; AFFA's separation from Santos and Abbasov's arrival brought new spirit to the team. In the second round, we saw an Azerbaijan on the field against Ukraine that said, "I am here," biting every ball, fighting. We scored a goal, showing that "our points bank is not empty."
There are mistakes in defense, there is a lack of ideas in attack—yes, but persistence shows that we are not "statistics" in the group.
Conclusion...
France is the favorite, but not a scary ship. Iceland has already begun to carry the "surprise burden of the group" and is the most serious nominee for second place. Ukraine plays with technique, but has difficulty turning it into results—this is worrying about them. The main thing to say about Azerbaijan is this—to dominate the idea of not losing in the upcoming games, a game that aims at discipline in defense and not being discouraged by formal failures.
Thus, the script of the group is still being written, the curtain has not yet fully opened. But there is one truth: Azerbaijan is no longer a "zero figure" in this script. He who holds honey will lick his fingers. And let's be ready for it!
Ali Valiyev
İdman.biz
