Van claimed a 2:0 victory over Ararat-Armenia in the third round of the Premier League on 15 August, breaking a winless start to the season. The home side, who had lost five of their opening six matches, finally found a result that changed their position in the table.
A. Ndour opened the scoring in the forty-seventh minute, giving Van a lead they would not relinquish. The visitors had their own moment of promise late on when A. Eloyan found the net in the eighty-ninth, but the goal came too late to alter the outcome. J. A. Balanta missed a penalty in the seventy-sixth minute, a chance that might have shifted momentum had it been converted.
Van dominated possession at 67 per cent, registering 86 attacks against 65 for the away side. Their shot tally showed 5 on target to Ararat-Armenia's 1, though the efficiency of those attempts tells the fuller story. The hosts also generated more throw-ins and free kicks, reflecting their control in midfield areas.
Ararat-Armenia arrive at this fixture third in the standings with thirteen points from six games, four wins and one draw. Their recent form has been solid, though they lost 2:0 away to Tseli on 11 August. Van, meanwhile, sit twelfth with a solitary point and five defeats, making this result a genuine turning point.
The victory lifts Van off the bottom of the table and ends Ararat-Armenia's unbeaten streak away from home. The goal difference remains negative for the hosts but positive for the visitors, who now lead by nine points over the side they just beat.