National cup

National Stadium
Spectators: 14377 (Terracing: 10000, Seating: 4027, VIP seats: 350) The field was rather wet after several days of rain when Nurlan Salmanov took the kick off in the first half of the match. In the 2nd match minute, U21 Slovenia was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Loris Češnovar to maneuver through the defense. Irfan Ljubec made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Cahangir Aliyev in the 3rd minute of play. If Gustaf Broman had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 6th minute. The ball went over the crossbar instead. With his leg Zakir Novruzov managed to avoid a goal in the 8thth minute, when U21 Slovenia's Gustaf Broman fired away a shot with a lot of spin towards his right hand side. Gustaf Broman blasted a shot towards the goal in the 9th minute, but the shot hit the top of the crossbar and went out without Zakir Novruzov having to make a save. Elbrus Qämbärov charged in rather forcefully in the 12th minute of the match, and managed to knock his opponent down. The referee showed Elbrus Qämbärov the yellow card, and asked the players to shake hands before continuing play. If Nurlan Salmanov had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 16th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. The audience thought a goal was coming when Gustaf Broman got free with Zakir Novruzov in the 23rd minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. In the 23rd match minute, U21 Azerbaijan was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Babakişi Islamov to maneuver through the defense. Gustaf Broman's shot was meant for the net just under the crossbar, but Zakir Novruzov read the situation well and was quickly in position to make a wonderful save in the 24th minute of play. An unexpectedly hard shot by Nurlan Salmanov in the 26th minute of play forced U21 Slovenia's goalkeeper Irfan Ljubec to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. Gustaf Broman might have been able to make a better finish in the 28th minute when he tried to place a hard shot over Zakir Novruzov. Instead the ball went over the crossbar and out. Gustaf Broman ran back to his position shaking his head. Irfan Ljubec showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Nurlan Salmanov in the 29th minute of the match. Qiyas Alşanov struck a weak shot in the 34th minute. Irfan Ljubec didn't even have to move as the ball rolled over the line well wide of the goal. A wasted opportunity for U21 Azerbaijan. U21 Slovenia's Irfan Ljubec played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Nurlan Salmanov in the 40th minute of play. After fighting hard for a draw in the first half, the players were able to take a much needed rest.

The players of the home team were most fresh-looking when they entered the field to play the second half. Gustaf Broman was the one to do the kick off. Gustaf Broman sent away a hard shot on goal in the 58th minute, but the ball hit the crossbar and went out. A very good chance for a goal. In the 58th minute Gustaf Broman shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Zakir Novruzov saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. After 70 played minutes U21 Slovenia got a freekick which was hit by Zlatko Goričan. An unexpectedly hard shot by Gustaf Broman in the 78th minute of play forced U21 Azerbaijan's goalkeeper Zakir Novruzov to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. After 80 played minutes U21 Slovenia got a freekick which was hit by Loris Češnovar. In the 81st match minute, U21 Slovenia was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Loris Češnovar to maneuver through the defense. Idrak Mahmudov made in the 86th minute of the game a quick throw-in and Cahangir Aliyev immediately put the ball in play. When the match had gone on for 88 minutes, Nurlan Salmanov took a quick shot and it went in 0-1 without a chance for Irfan Ljubec to make any attempt to save it. In the 96thth minute of the game Andi Jovanović who was perfectly placed tried to make a shot on goal, but U21 Azerbaijan's Zakir Novruzov was lucky and managed to grab hold of the ball. U21 Azerbaijan's fans were overjoyed with their teams well-earned victory and stayed in the stadium long after the final whistle to celebrate the win.