Neftchi Baku took all three points at home to Sumgait in the opening round of Azerbaijan's Premier League, winning 3-1 on Saturday afternoon. The visitors moved into second place while the hosts remain bottom of the table after two defeats. And here's the thing about these opening fixtures — you learn more from how teams respond than from the scoreline itself.
Breno Almeida opened the scoring in the 23rd minute, his first touch and shot finding the net. Neftchi doubled their advantage six minutes later when L. Tupta finished a quick move. Sumgait pushed forward after the break but could not find an equaliser. To be fair, the home side had possession but lacked the final pass to trouble the opposition.
Almeida added his second goal in the 55th minute, capitalising on a defensive error. Neftchi then sealed the result through N. Orujov in the 67th minute, a clean finish after breaking away. Sumgait were reduced to ten men when S. Abdullazada was sent off in the 74th minute. By then the game was effectively over, though the hosts continued to press.
Sumgait dominated the ball with 53 per cent possession and registered 105 attacks, yet only four shots on target. Neftchi managed 96 attacks with similar accuracy, converting three of their chances. The statistics tell a simple story — Sumgait created volume but not quality. And here's the thing, that pattern often repeats itself in these early season matches.
The result leaves Sumgait twelve points from the top with no wins from two games. Neftchi Baku sit second with six points, having played one more fixture. The gap between them and the bottom of the table is already significant. To be fair, there is a long season ahead and these numbers will change.