Gabala (Azerbaijan) – Samtredia (Georgia) – 5:1

UEFA Europa League, 1st Qualifying Round, 1st tie
Date: Thursday, June 30, 2016
Kick-off: 9:00 P.M. AZT
Venue: Bakcell Arena, Baku
Referee: Denis Serbakov (Belarus)
Assistant referees: Dmitri Juk, Yuri Khomchanka (both from Belarus)
4th official: Sergei Tsinkevic (Belarus)
Referee observer: Alexey Spirin (Russia)
UEFA observer: Anuar Bidanov (Kazakhstan)
Goals: Vojislav Stankovic, 16”, Sergei Zenjov, 19”, Theo Weeks, 30”, 69”, 72” // Lasha Shergelashvili, 59”
Bookings: Sergei Zenjov, 65, Theo Weeks, 69” // Davit Jikia, 44”, Teymuraz Markozashvili, 63”, Omar Migineyshvili, 73
Stoppage time: 1st Period- 1 min.; 2nd Period- 3 min.

Gabala won 5:1 over Samtredia (Georgia) in the 1st qualifying round of the UEFA EL at the Bakcell Arena, Baku.

The pair started equally and then the home side looked faster. Dabo from the left set Nika Kvekveskiri in the box in the 5th minute but the latter denied by the Samtredia defenders.

And 9 minutes later, Dabo failed to score after Urfan Abbasov”s pass.

Kvekveskir”s corner found Vojislav Stankovic kicked in by a superb header that was an early opener in the 16th minute, just 2 minutes before Zenjov doubled his team”s lead.

After the goals, Roman Grigorchuk”s side looked more dynamic while the Georgian visitors could set only a few poor occasions during the half.

Later on, Theo Weeks kicked in the 3rd goal on 31 minutes and the hosts finished the first period on comfortable top.

After the restart, Samtredia looked prompted by their coach Gia Tsetzadze as they were performing all for scoring back. It seemed as a matter of time before Shergelashvili kicked in his side”s first goal on the show in the 60th minute – 3:1.

But it was Gabala again scoring next 9 minutes later with Weeks”s double before he score one more in the 72nd minute – 5:1.

This was the first-ever hat-trick of Gabala in the UEFA Europa League, as well as the first high scoring result in the continental championship.

Gabala also became the only team if Azerbaijan scoring more than 4 in a home match of the UEFA EL.

It is worth to remember Gabala”s first back-to-back game of the last UEFA EL season when the red-black squad kicked out another Georgian side Dinamo Tbilisi.
Gabala lineup:
22. Dmytro Bezotosny
3. Vojislav Stankovic
6. Rashad Sadigov (c)
7. Nika Kvekveskiri
9. Sergei Zenjov
(88. Tellur Mutallimov, 83”)
15. Vitaliy Vernydub
18. Bagaly Dabo
(32. Rashad Eyyubov, 77”)
19. Filip Ozobic
20. Ricardinho
27. Theo Weeks
(8. Gismat Aliyev, 86”)
34. Urfan Abbasov

Subs.:
33. David Pietrzkievic
17. Mahammad Mirzabayov
44. Rafael Santos
80. Ramil Hasanov
Head coach: Roman Grigorchuk
Samtredia lineup:
12. Omar Migineyshvili
3. Jemal Gogiashvili
4. Nika Sandokhadze
6. Giuli Manjgaladze
(15. Dachi Tsobiladze, 71”)
7. David Rajamashvili
10. Bachana Arabuli
11. Budu Zivzivadze
(8. Teymuraz Markozashvili, 59”)
14. Davit Jikia
(77. Giorgi Gamkrellidze, 46”)
16. Lasha Shergelashvili
22. Giorgi Mchedlishvili
26. Giorgi Datunashvili (c)

Subs.:
30. Kakhaber Meshveliani
2. David Mtivlishvili
17. Shota Kerdzevadze
39. Tornike Gorgiashvili
Head coach: Giorgi Tsetzadze