Zira
On Wednesday, 8 July, the first leg of the Conference League qualification round of 16 between Zira and Torpedo Kutaisi will take place at the Gorodskoy Stadium in Zira. Kick-off is at 17:00 BST.
The visitors are clearly targeting victory in Azerbaijan. They are in excellent current form, although Zira seem to have more quality across several lines.
Zira finished last season on a low note. The team coached by Sadikhov only came fifth in the Azerbaijan championship, 25 points behind newly crowned champions Sabah. The club had the weakest defence in the top five – it conceded 36 goals in 33 matches. The squad has changed significantly in the summer: eight players have left and nine have arrived, with several players such as Bogomolsky and Uztig returning from loan.
Torpedo Kutaisi recently caused a stir in the Georgian Super Cup. They got past Dila Gori in the semi-final (1:0), then snatched the title in the final from national champions Iberia 1999 Tbilisi (3:2 after a penalty shoot-out), despite allowing them to come back from 0:2. The team coached by Schuster attacked far less (5-17 on shots and 31-69 in possession). Over their last 15 matches, the team have suffered only three defeats – all of them came in a row, and Torpedo Kutaisi have already recovered from that poor run.
In Azerbaijan, the more technically gifted Zira, whose squad is valued at €12.7m, will look to dictate terms against Torpedo Kutaisi, whose squad value stands at €6.6m. The visitors have a strong core of foreign players that has already settled into the 4-3-3 system, so Schuster is likely to rely on counter-attacks. Sadikhov will need time to find the right combinations, yet the result has to be achieved here and now. We believe the hosts, who have had no match practice for six weeks, will clearly fade physically towards the end. Torpedo Kutaisi should seize their chance, so we back the visitors on double chance.
Joni Hyytia (Finland)
Matches – 5 (international fixtures, 2022/23);
Fouls per match on average – 16;
Yellow cards per match on average (including second yellows) – 2.6;
Matches with a red card – 1 out of 5;
Matches with a penalty – 3 out of 5.
|
Rashad Sadyqov
|
coach | ||
| Player | Matches | Goals | |
|
Line-up
|
|||
|
Aydın Bayramov
|
gk. | 0 | 0 |
|
Amin Seydiyev
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Jimmy Ange Mutsinzi
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Qismət Alıyev
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Ruan Renato Bonifácio Augusto
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Alessandro Pinheiro Martins Júnior
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Brahim Konaté
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Filipe da Silva Tavares Vieira
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Giorgi Papunashvili
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Davit Volkovi
|
fw. | 0 | 0 |
|
Eren Aydın
|
fw. | 0 | 0 |
|
Substitutes
|
|||
|
Chrismael Naaman Digbeu
|
0 | 0 | |
|
Hüseynəli Quliyev
|
gk. | 0 | 0 |
|
Səlim Həşimov
|
gk. | 0 | 0 |
|
Elçin Əlicanov
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Ayxan Hüseynov
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Hacıağa Hacılı
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Issa Ibrahim Djibrilla
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Namiq Ələsgərov
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Ramiz Muradov
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Yusif Hacıyev
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
İsmayıl İbrahimli
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Egor Bogomolskiy
|
fw. | 0 | 0 |
|
Dirk Schuster
|
coach | ||
| Player | Matches | Goals | |
|
Line-up
|
|||
|
Oto Goshadze
|
gk. | 0 | 0 |
|
Dato Bukia
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Luka Kuprava
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Matej Šimić
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Mohamed Cherif
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Manconi Soriano Mané
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Vladimer Mamuchashvili
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Felipe Augusto Rodrigues Pires
|
fw. | 0 | 0 |
|
Giorgi Arabidze
|
fw. | 0 | 0 |
|
Komnen Andrić
|
fw. | 0 | 0 |
|
Marcel Jacky Virgile Pinson
|
fw. | 0 | 0 |
|
Substitutes
|
|||
|
Tornike Antia
|
0 | 0 | |
|
Filip Kljajić
|
gk. | 0 | 0 |
|
Soso Kopaliani
|
gk. | 0 | 0 |
|
Luka Latsabidze
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Mateo Stamatov
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Ricardo Jorge Silva Araújo
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Tsotne Nadaraia
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Dino Skorup
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Luka Pridonishvili
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Malkhaz Chitaishvili
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Diego Deisadze
|
fw. | 0 | 0 |
Hajduk Split
Zira
Zira
Hajduk Split
Zira
Omonia
Omonia
Zira
Zira
NK Osijek
NK Osijek
Zira
DAC
Zira
Zira
DAC
Zira
Sheriff
Sheriff
Zira
Torpedo Kutaisi
Omonia
Omonia
Torpedo Kutaisi
Ordabasy
Torpedo Kutaisi
Torpedo Kutaisi
Ordabasy
Torpedo Kutaisi
Omonia
Omonia
Torpedo Kutaisi
Tirana
Torpedo Kutaisi
Torpedo Kutaisi
Tirana
Aktobe
Torpedo Kutaisi
Torpedo Kutaisi
Aktobe
| # | Team | Form | Matches played | W | D | L | G | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1
|
Lugano
|
|
3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 11:4 | 9 |
|
2
|
Panathinaikos
|
|
3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 9:3 | 9 |
|
3
|
Twente
|
|
3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 8:2 | 9 |
|
4
|
Monaco
|
|
3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 7:1 | 9 |
|
5
|
Brighton and Hove Albion
|
|
3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5:0 | 7 |
|
6
|
Brann
|
|
3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 7:3 | 7 |
|
7
|
Copenhagen
|
|
3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 7:3 | 7 |
|
8
|
Universitatea
|
|
3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 6:2 | 7 |
|
9
|
Mjällby
|
|
3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5:1 | 7 |
|
10
|
Sint-Truidense
|
|
3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4:1 | 7 |
|
11
|
Ajax
|
|
3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 9:3 | 6 |
|
12
|
Trabzonspor
|
|
3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 6:3 | 6 |
|
13
|
Hajduk Split
|
|
3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3:2 | 6 |
|
14
|
Freiburg
|
|
3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4:5 | 6 |
|
15
|
Crvena Zvezda
|
|
3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6:6 | 4 |
|
16
|
Atalanta
|
|
3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4:4 | 4 |
|
17
|
Sporting Braga
|
|
3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2:3 | 4 |
|
18
|
Gent
|
|
3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1:2 | 4 |
|
19
|
FC Riga
|
|
3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3:3 | 3 |
|
20
|
FC Thun
|
|
3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3:3 | 3 |
|
21
|
Borac Banja Luka
|
|
3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3:4 | 3 |
|
22
|
Lincoln Red Imps
|
|
3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3:6 | 3 |
|
23
|
Jablonec
|
|
3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3:4 | 2 |
|
24
|
Aarhus
|
|
3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1:2 | 2 |
|
25
|
Nordsjælland
|
|
3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3:5 | 2 |
|
26
|
Egnatia Rrogozhine
|
|
3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2:4 | 2 |
|
27
|
Kairat
|
|
3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3:7 | 2 |
|
28
|
CSKA Sofia
|
|
3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4:6 | 1 |
|
29
|
Iberia 1999
|
|
3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2:5 | 1 |
|
30
|
Pafos
|
|
3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3:7 | 1 |
|
31
|
Getafe
|
|
3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3:7 | 1 |
|
32
|
Hearts
|
|
3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2:6 | 1 |
|
33
|
KuPS
|
|
3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2:6 | 1 |
|
34
|
Midtjylland
|
|
3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2:8 | 1 |
|
35
|
Inter Club d'Escaldes
|
|
3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2:7 | 0 |
|
36
|
FK Kauno Zalgiris
|
|
3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1:11 | 0 |
| # | Team | Form | Matches played | W | D | L | G | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1
|
Lugano
|
|
2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6:2 | 6 |
|
2
|
Panathinaikos
|
|
2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4:2 | 6 |
|
3
|
Twente
|
|
2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4:1 | 6 |
|
4
|
Monaco
|
|
2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5:0 | 6 |
|
5
|
Copenhagen
|
|
2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5:1 | 6 |
|
6
|
Mjällby
|
|
2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4:0 | 6 |
|
7
|
Universitatea
|
|
2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3:1 | 4 |
|
8
|
Sint-Truidense
|
|
2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3:1 | 4 |
|
9
|
Crvena Zvezda
|
|
2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4:3 | 4 |
|
10
|
Atalanta
|
|
2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4:2 | 4 |
|
11
|
Brighton and Hove Albion
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4:0 | 3 |
|
12
|
Brann
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2:1 | 3 |
|
13
|
Ajax
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2:0 | 3 |
|
14
|
Trabzonspor
|
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2:1 | 3 |
|
15
|
Hajduk Split
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2:1 | 3 |
|
16
|
Freiburg
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3:2 | 3 |
|
17
|
Sporting Braga
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2:0 | 3 |
|
18
|
Gent
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1:0 | 3 |
|
19
|
FC Thun
|
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3:2 | 3 |
|
20
|
Borac Banja Luka
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2:0 | 3 |
|
21
|
Lincoln Red Imps
|
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2:4 | 3 |
|
22
|
FC Riga
|
|
2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2:2 | 2 |
|
23
|
Aarhus
|
|
2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1:1 | 2 |
|
24
|
Jablonec
|
|
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0:0 | 1 |
|
25
|
Nordsjælland
|
|
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2:2 | 1 |
|
26
|
Egnatia Rrogozhine
|
|
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1:1 | 1 |
|
27
|
Iberia 1999
|
|
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1:1 | 1 |
|
28
|
Pafos
|
|
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1:1 | 1 |
|
29
|
Hearts
|
|
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1:1 | 1 |
|
30
|
KuPS
|
|
2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2:4 | 1 |
|
31
|
Kairat
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1:5 | 0 |
|
32
|
CSKA Sofia
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1:2 | 0 |
|
33
|
Getafe
|
|
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2:6 | 0 |
|
34
|
Midtjylland
|
|
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1:7 | 0 |
|
35
|
Inter Club d'Escaldes
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1:3 | 0 |
|
36
|
FK Kauno Zalgiris
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1:4 | 0 |
| # | Team | Form | Matches played | W | D | L | G | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1
|
Brighton and Hove Albion
|
|
2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1:0 | 4 |
|
2
|
Brann
|
|
2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5:2 | 4 |
|
3
|
Lugano
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5:2 | 3 |
|
4
|
Panathinaikos
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5:1 | 3 |
|
5
|
Twente
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4:1 | 3 |
|
6
|
Monaco
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2:1 | 3 |
|
7
|
Universitatea
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3:1 | 3 |
|
8
|
Sint-Truidense
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1:0 | 3 |
|
9
|
Ajax
|
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 7:3 | 3 |
|
10
|
Trabzonspor
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4:2 | 3 |
|
11
|
Hajduk Split
|
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1:1 | 3 |
|
12
|
Freiburg
|
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1:3 | 3 |
|
13
|
Kairat
|
|
2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2:2 | 2 |
|
14
|
Copenhagen
|
|
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2:2 | 1 |
|
15
|
Mjällby
|
|
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1:1 | 1 |
|
16
|
Sporting Braga
|
|
2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0:3 | 1 |
|
17
|
Gent
|
|
2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0:2 | 1 |
|
18
|
FC Riga
|
|
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1:1 | 1 |
|
19
|
Jablonec
|
|
2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3:4 | 1 |
|
20
|
Nordsjælland
|
|
2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1:3 | 1 |
|
21
|
Egnatia Rrogozhine
|
|
2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1:3 | 1 |
|
22
|
CSKA Sofia
|
|
2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3:4 | 1 |
|
23
|
Getafe
|
|
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1:1 | 1 |
|
24
|
Midtjylland
|
|
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1:1 | 1 |
|
25
|
Crvena Zvezda
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2:3 | 0 |
|
26
|
Atalanta
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0:2 | 0 |
|
27
|
FC Thun
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0:1 | 0 |
|
28
|
Borac Banja Luka
|
|
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1:4 | 0 |
|
29
|
Lincoln Red Imps
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1:2 | 0 |
|
30
|
Aarhus
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0:1 | 0 |
|
31
|
Iberia 1999
|
|
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1:4 | 0 |
|
32
|
Pafos
|
|
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2:6 | 0 |
|
33
|
Hearts
|
|
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1:5 | 0 |
|
34
|
KuPS
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0:2 | 0 |
|
35
|
Inter Club d'Escaldes
|
|
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1:4 | 0 |
|
36
|
FK Kauno Zalgiris
|
|
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0:7 | 0 |
