Azerbaijan Premier League: Qəbələ and Sumqayıt Share Points
Qəbələ and Sumqayıt played out a 1:1 draw in the sixth round of the Azerbaijan Premier League on Sunday. The result keeps the hosts in sixth place with six points from four matches, while the visitors remain rooted at the bottom on just one point. To be fair, the table tells only part of the story — away dominance in possession didn't translate into danger until late.
M. Bangre gave Qəbəlé the lead in the thirty-fifth minute, finishing off a move that found the back of the net cleanly. The home side had been patient, building their attacks without relying on set-pieces, and here was the reward. Three shots on target from four attempts later would prove decisive, and here's the thing — they converted when it mattered.
Sumqayıt controlled the ball, holding 57 per cent possession compared to their hosts' 43, but corners told a different tale. Both sides registered zero corners, which means the game was played in the central areas with very little width. The away side threw 52 attacks at goal versus 46, yet only found four shots on target across the full ninety minutes.
K. Kalunga dragged Sumqayıt level in the eighty-sixth minute, capitalising on a moment of space that had been scarce until then. By that stage the home side had dug in, and the equaliser felt inevitable given the pressure away had sustained. Four shots on target with none off target — clinical, but not clinical enough to take all three points.
Discipline became an issue for the visitors, who picked up three yellow cards in the final quarter. The first arrived in the seventy-eighth minute, followed by two more in the eighty-first and ninetieth. Qəbəlé had only one caution, shown to D. Acquah in the twenty-eighth minute, and kept their heads when it counted.
The draw leaves Qəbəlé six points clear of the drop zone after four games, while Sumqayıt's run of results continues to worry. They have now gone eight matches without a win, with only one point from their last five fixtures. The away side need the points badly, and this draw may not be enough to quiet the critics.
