Karabakh secured a narrow 1:0 victory over Safa Baku in the Azerbaijan Premier League's sixth round of matches on Thursday. The result keeps the hosts in third place with ten points from four games, while the visitors remain rooted to tenth on three points after five outings.
It was a match decided by moments rather than sustained pressure. To be fair, Karabakh carved out their chances methodically, though they had to wait until the second half for clarity. The opening exchanges were tight, with neither side willing to commit bodies forward recklessly.
The breakthrough came in the 61st minute when M. Jankovic found the net. By then, the home side had already made double substitutions — J. Mouaddib and J. Montiel both came on in the 58th minute — suggesting the coach felt the need to inject fresh legs. The goal itself was clinical, a reminder that Karabakh have not won since drawing 1:1 with Zira three days earlier.
Safa Baku tried to respond but lacked the vertical threat to trouble the Karabakh defence consistently. O. Diaw picked up a yellow card in the 72nd minute after a late challenge, a moment that could have shifted momentum if the referee had been less lenient. Further changes followed, with B. Dansoko, D. Mertens, F. Yusifli, R. Cephas and M. Guel all involved in the closing stages.
The statistics tell a familiar story. Karabakh dominated possession at 76 per cent and registered 120 attacks compared to Safa's 63. They fired 20 shots — seven on target — but only converted one, while the visitors managed two shots on target from just four attempts. It was a match where the hosts had their moments but gave away too many cheap fouls in defence.
For Karabakh, the win extends a run that includes victories over Sumqayıt and another Dutch side, Twente, though the 4:1 defeat away to Twente remains a concern. Safa Baku's form has been poor — they have not won since beating Qabala 1:0 in late August — and this result leaves them five points from safety with games running out.
