Date: Saturday, February 24, 2018
Kick-off: 4:00 pm. AZT
Venue: Bayil Arena, Baku
Attendance: 500
Referee: Aliyar Aghayev
Assistant referees: Rza Mammadov, Namig Huseynov
Fourth official: Ingilab Mammadov  
AFFA delegate: Mubariz Huseynov  
Referee observer: Shahin Jafarov 
Bookings: Eltun Yagublu, 88 (delaying the game restarts) // Tamkin Khalilzadeh, 31 (rejecting referee oder); Asif Mammadov, 57 (unsporting behavior); Hajiagha Hajiyev, 71 (unsporting behavior)
Goals:  Vitaliy Vernydub, 25 (own goal); Fahmin Muradbayli, 57 // Bagali Dabo, 68
Stoppage time: First Half: 1 m.; Second Half: 5 m.

Gabala lost to Sabail in the 17th tour away of the Azerbaijan Premier League. The opener match of the tour got underway at the Bayil Arena, Baku.

The pace of the match started by mutual attacks. Going more into the match time, Gabala kept more spaces and attacks. But the home side looked backing on counter attacks. Roman Grigorchuk’s red-black team set up their first threat against Sabail came up in the 17th minute when Ruslan Gurbanov in the right set up Tamkin Khalilzadeh and the latter’s shot canceled by the keeper. Later on, Steeven Monroze’s found no one in the box.

Gabala keeper Dmytro Bezotosniy denied pulsating shots by Sabail’s Miya Faruka and Vakhit Orasakhmetov. But misunderstanding between the red-black keeper and his teammate Vitaliy Vernydub ended with own goal by the latter.

After the half-time, Grigorchuk introduced Famussa Kone to reinforce the team. But it was the home side scoring again after Khalilzadeh lost the ball led to quick attack by Sabail and the opponents doubled their lead. The Ukrainian coach introduced also Elvin Mammadov.

Later efforts by Ozobic and Kone failed on the target. Gabala scored one only in the middle of the second period when Gurbanov’s great pass into the box converted in with a follow-up header by the Bagaliy Dabo. This was registered eleventh by the top scorer of the league.

The result broke Gabala’s 9-match unbeaten streak, including six league games.

Sabail Line-up:

1. Emil Balayev
3. Tamazi Tsetskhladze
4. Rahil Mammadov
7. Fahmin Muradbayli
13. Farouk Miya
(11. Elman Tagayev, 58)
15. Nikoloz Apakidze
20. Eltun Yagublu (C)
(23. Ayron Stati, 89)
26. Kamal Gurbanov
29. Yevgeni Kocuk
92. Vakhit Orazsakhedov
(10. Nurlan Novruzov, 77)
99. Maudo Jarjue

BENCH:

25. Elkhan Ahmadov
18. Agshin Gurbanly
88. Orkhan Gurbanly
98. Kamran Aliyev
 
COACH: Samir Aliyev

Gabala Line-up:

22. Dmytro Bezotosniy
3. Voislav Stankovic
9. Bagaliy Dabo
10. Ruslan Gurbanov
11. Asif Mammadov (C)
15. Vitaliy Vernydub
(45. Famussa Kone, 46)
19. Filip Ozobic
28. Steeven Monroze
29. Hajiagha Hajiyev
(74. Yusif Nabiyev, 83)
33. Tamkin Khalilzadeh
(6. Elvin Mammadov, 60)
34. Urfan Abbasov 

BENCH:
 
23. Agil Mammadov
35. Murad Popov
5. Rasim Ramaldanov
16. Omar Malone
18. Ilgar Gurbanov
32. Amin Seydiyev
62. Faig Hajiyev
77. Samir Gurbanov
89. Abbas Aghazadeh

COACH: Roman Grigorchuk