The Azerbaijan national football team will face Estonia today in Gabala as part of the UEFA Nations League.
According to the Russian website Soccer365.ru, which has published an article about this crucial match for staying in Division C, the situation for the Azerbaijan team has worsened since European champion Fernando Santos took charge, Idman.biz reports.
The article points out that while Santos became famous for winning Euro 2016 with Portugal, Azerbaijan is not Portugal. Despite struggling with Poland and Turkiye’s Beşiktaş, the prominent coach was invited to lead Azerbaijan with the aim of the upcoming World Cup qualifiers. However, his tenure in the Nations League has been disappointing, with the team suffering four defeats, including a 3-11 aggregate score.
The article highlights concerns over the goalkeeper and center forward positions. Santos surprised many by calling up three goalkeepers, all with limited international experience. Reports suggest that Mehdi Jannatov has been underperforming in recent matches for Sumgayit, though the bigger issue lies with the center forward position. Renat Dadashov, who plays for Turkiye's Ankaragücü, has been sidelined due to an injury, and Mahir Emreli, the top striker for Azerbaijan's recent campaigns, will miss the match due to a red card.
Regarding the match venue, the article explains that the decision to move the game from Baku to Gabala was made not only to cater to local fans but also to create an unusual environment for the Estonian team. Many of Estonia's players are based in domestic clubs along the Baltic Sea, while Azerbaijan's players typically play for clubs located below sea level in Baku. Despite this, the home advantage is still seen as significant. Before their struggles in the Nations League, Azerbaijan had won four consecutive home matches, including a 3-0 victory over Sweden.
Estonia's recent performances have been less than impressive, with their last notable win against Finland in January 2023. Since then, they have suffered 15 losses in 20 matches, with only two victories in friendly tournaments. Their only competitive win in the past two years was a 1-0 victory over Azerbaijan in the Nations League.
The article also discusses injuries affecting Estonia's squad. Twelve of their players represent foreign clubs, but key figures such as left-back Artur Pikk, center-back Marten Kuusk, and defensive midfielder Mattias Käit will miss the match due to injury. Additionally, Rauno Sappinen, the central forward for Flora, is unavailable due to illness.
The article concludes that both teams are in crisis, with Azerbaijan facing relegation to Division D in the Nations League. Despite their historic win against Sweden, Azerbaijan has only managed to beat Mongolia and Kazakhstan in the past year. Estonia's form, meanwhile, has been far worse, with only one draw and one win in the last two years. Despite the problems facing both teams, the match is expected to be a high-scoring draw, with the predicted score being 2-2.
Idman.biz
