"Unfortunately, Zira lost."
Yunis Huseynov, former Azerbaijan national team player, told Idman.biz.
The former player commented on the match in which Zira lost 1:2 (4:5 on penalties) to Sheriff in the first qualifying round of the Europa League. He said that the representative of the settlement fought well: "Zira was the leading side both in the away and the home game. Getting a red card and being in the minority in such an important match creates great difficulties for the teams. Our representative did not make a bad impression. Even though we were left with 10 people, the match had to go to penalties. Inexperience is the reason for defeat in 11-meter free kicks. Fuad Bayramov did not score the penalty badly. I have hit these blows in time. In such important games, you have to have a lot of confidence when you take a free kick from 11 meters. Let's believe that Zira will show themselves well in the next game in the Conference League.
Huseynov said that the red card played a decisive role in the match: "Zira should have passed Sheriff. They are not the Sheriff they used to be. We won in Moldova, and we were leading here. If it wasn't for the red card, the eagles would have been the side that called the stage."
Zira stopped fighting in the Europa League and will continue their journey in the II qualifying stage of the Conference League. Rashad Sadigov's team will face Dunajska Streda (Slovakia). The first match between the sides will be held on July 25 in Baku, and the return match will be held in Slovakia one week later.
Emin Aga
Idman.biz
