Acting head coach of the Azerbaijan national team Ayhan Abbasov summarized yesterday’s match of the 2026 World Cup qualifying tournament against Ukraine (1:1).
Ayhan Abbasov— After such a game, it’s hard to say anything. But I want to thank the players. Because we had only one day. I told them that it was necessary to show psychological readiness, character, and fighting spirit. Regardless of the score, I would have thanked them. It has been a long time since there was such fighting spirit in the team. Perhaps the players were under pressure too. I want to thank the fans. They supported us in a difficult moment. Perhaps it was this support that helped.
The opponent was strong. The Ukraine national team returned from a trip to France. We understood that. We also came back after a difficult away match. After a heavy defeat, there was a psychological drop. We made some changes. The invitation of Rustam Akhmedzade and Abdula Khaibulaev lifted the team’s spirit. I congratulate Emin Mahmudov — he scored the desired goal. If there are joy and smiles, it means we can achieve something. I hope our football will develop.
— What could be changed in one day in a team that has been in poor shape under Fernando Santos?
— You can’t change much in one day. We didn’t have time for training. By the time everything was happening, the team was already training. In the morning, we had a tactical session. We gave what we could in one day. It was also necessary to analyze the opponent. We all wanted this together. We changed it because everyone wanted it.
— Ahead, “Milli” awaits a match against the French national team. What do you plan to change?
— Right now, I am the head coach of the youth national team. Next month we have two difficult away matches ahead. It would not be appropriate for me to talk about France right now. I don’t know what decisions will be made. We have to fight. We know that France is a strong team. Ukraine also fought well against them. It seems that we can compete. We need to find our strengths. We want a lot. We compare ourselves with strong countries. It takes time. If we fight, anything is possible.
