Idman.biz
"Qarabağ" fought the opponent in the arena in the true sense of the word. But speed and pressure determined the fate of the match".
These words were said by AFFA Technical Director Jahangir Hasanzadeh while talking about "Qarabağ"'s 1:6 defeat to England's "Newcastle" in the play-off stage of the UEFA Champions League in Baku.
According to him, the opponent's speed and pace were clearly felt in the match.
"Newcastle" is a team formed at the Premier League level, and the difference was clearly visible on the field. At this stage, all teams already have a certain quality, and the concept of a weak opponent almost does not exist. The most important thing is that our representative has risen to this stage, which is a separate source of pride for us. A big score is not surprising in football. Football is a sport in which any result can be recorded. As experts noted, "Newcastle" is considered one of the teams that applies the highest pressure and prefers fast transitions in the Premier League. These qualities were also evident in yesterday's match," he said in a statement to AZERTAC.
The former goalkeeper of the Azerbaijani national team and the Aghdam representative stated that looking at the overall result, it can be seen that "Qarabağ" fought for a good result and did everything possible:
"Our team fought the opponent in the arena in the true sense of the word. Our players tried to prevent the opponent's attacks in episodes, and they succeeded from time to time. In particular, goalkeeper Mateusz Kochalski played very well in several episodes and made interventions that saved the team from a bigger score. Nevertheless, as a result, a big defeat was recorded. As for Anthony Gordon scoring four goals, the main task for a striker is to stand out. He coped well with his job".
J. Hasanzadeh said that such games are a good experience and test for the Azerbaijani champion:
"Playing in this stage for "Qarabağ", competing against such a fast and high-level team is a serious gain for the future. I think that this match gave the team a great experience in terms of playing in the play-off stage in the Champions League and other European tournaments. I am sure that in the next participations, "Qarabağ" will already prepare for this level more appropriately and will not experience such big defeats".
It should be noted that the return match between "Newcastle" and "Qarabağ" will be held on February 25. The winner of this pair will face either "Chelsea" or "Barcelona" in the 1/8 finals.
