February 19 & 20, 2022
Round 16
Saturday February 19, 2022
Gabala 2-0 Sabail ( att : 800 )
Isgandarov ( 79 ), Alimi ( 97 )
Neftchi Baku 3-1 Kesla ( att : 500 )
Meza Colli ( 21 ), Stankovic ( 26 ), Nasirli ( 44 ); Silva ( 93 )
Sunday February 20, 2022
Zira 2-0 Sabah ( att : 600 )
Keyta ( 63 & 93 )
Rescheduled to May 12, 2022
Qarabag vs Sumgayit
With Qarabag’s match against Sumgayit being postponed until May, the three sides immediately below them took the advantage to close the gap at the top, as all three of them won their fixtures.
Gabala bounced back from their 0-3 loss at Sabah the previous week to dominate their fixture against Sabail, but were unable to create too many clear-cut chances in the first half, the best of which fell to on-loan from Admira Wacker Brazilian, Patrick, whose effort slammed back of the crossbar.
Muradov and Utziq then missed good chances for Gabala but they eventually took the lead when Mammadov’s precise pass 12 minutes from time released Isgandarov to fire into the roof of the net for his 6th goal of the season. Gabala had several chances to secure the points, but the second goal only arrived in added on time when Alimi’s finish from the edge of the area wrong footed the Sabail keeper.
Kesla could have taken an early lead in their match at Neftchi, but Mbodj’s tremendous sliding tackle prevented Santos from having a tap-in and then Aliyev’s strike rebounded off the post with the keeper beaten. However, Neftchi soon took control of the match and Laval’s incisive pass was finished at the second attempt by Paraguayan midfielder Meza Colli in the 21st minute, and the lead was doubled 4 minutes later when Stankovic finished at the back post after a free-kick was parried out in his direction.
Despite being two goals behind, Kesla responded strongly and ex-Tottenham, Colchester, Peterborough and Dundalk striker Kelede Oduva missed two good chances. However, Netfchi soon re-asserted their dominance when Nasirli bundled Macedo’s cross over the line to extend their lead a minute before half-time.
In the second-half Mahmudov clipped the bar with a free-kick for Neftchi, but after that Neftchi took their foot off the gas, Oduva and Maharramli missed good chances for the visitors. However, after pressure from Neftchi in added on time, a quick counter-attack freed Silva for a consolation goal for Kesla.
The first half between Zira and Sabah was a cagey affair, but Zira come out fired up for the second half, and nearly took an immediate lead after a lovely move put Volkov free down the left and his pull-back found Hamidou Keyta, but his first time effort rebound back from the far post. However, the ex-Botosani, French marksman, who has previously featured in these diaries in its coverage of football in Romania, made amends in the 62nd minute with a fine finish across the face of the goal into the far corner.
Sabah had a decent appeal for a handball penalty 10 minutes from time, but the referee waved play on, and with a minute left to play a Sabah corner sailed over the Zira area and hit the post to rebound to safety. Pressing for an equalizer, Sabah were caught on the break and in the second minute of added on time, Volkov broke and crossed for Keyta to head home an easy second to secure the three points and Zira’s second consecutive win since the winter break.
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