Neftchi enters UEFA Europa League play-offs
By Nigar Orujova
Azerbaijani football club Neftchi Baku has qualified for the play-off stage of the UEFA Europa League after beating Georgian Chikhura 3-2 on aggregate on August 7.
Neftchi scored three times at the Mikheil Meskhi stadium in Georgia. The two teams had a goalless draw in Baku a week ago.
Cameroonian Ernest Nfor made a hat trick to book his team a spot in the play-offs.
President of the Association of Football Federations of Azerbaijan (AFFA) Rovnag Abdullayev met with the national team and congratulated them with the victory.
"It was a good and attractive game. We were pleased with the play of Neftchi. It is good that Neftchi is consistently winning. This means that we have already learned to play on the road," he said.
Abdullayev added that complicated playoffs are ahead.
"Yesterday we were in Austria at the match of Karabakh. Our champion lost, but played decently. The opponent was very strong, and the difference in the class affected the game," he said.
For the second time in the history of the Azerbaijani club football, two teams of the country - Neftchi and Karabakh - will fight in the playoff round of the Europa League. The draw for the play-off round will be held today.
Neftchi club based in the capital Baku was found in 1937. The club is the most famous and the most successful Azerbaijani club with eight Azerbaijan Premier League, six Azerbaijan Cup and two Azerbaijan Supercup titles.
The club is one of the two teams in Azerbaijan, along with Karabakh, that has participated in all Azerbaijan Premier League championships so far.