BAKU (Interstat) — Aghadadash Salyanskiy scored twice and Azerbaijan U21 opened its competition schedule with a 3-0 win over Gibraltar U21 on Tuesday. Nihat Ahmadzada also scored for the hosts, while Eshgin Ahmadov, Edgar Adilkhanov and Sanan Muradli each recorded an assist. Azerbaijan U21 improved to 1-0 in the competition and 1-0 across all competitions. Gibraltar U21 fell to 0-1 in the competition and 0-1 across all competitions. The home side scored in each half and kept the visitors off the scoreboard.

Azerbaijan U21 took the lead in the 8th minute when Ahmadzada scored. The early goal gave the hosts a lead to protect, and Gibraltar U21 had to respond from behind. Gibraltar U21 tried to settle, but Clinton K. received a yellow card in the 22nd minute. Azerbaijan U21 continued to create chances and doubled its advantage in the 43rd minute when Salyanskiy scored. That goal sent the home side into halftime with a 2-0 lead.

Salyanskiy added his second goal in the 51st minute, finishing a move that pushed the lead to 3-0. His performance covered 62 minutes before he was replaced. Ahmadzada also played 62 minutes and finished with one goal. Muradli recorded one assist in 62 minutes. Ahmadov played the full match and provided one assist. Adilkhanov supplied one assist during a 69-minute appearance. The scoring contributions were spread across the Azerbaijan U21 attack, with Salyanskiy’s two goals serving as the decisive output.

The match became more physical in the 56th minute, when Rustamov E. of Azerbaijan U21 and Rafi Emrani of Gibraltar U21 were both shown yellow cards. Gibraltar U21 made a change at halftime, with De Torres C. entering. Rafi Emrani was then substituted in the 57th minute. Azerbaijan U21 made three changes in the 62nd minute, taking off Muradly S., Ahmadzada N. and Salyanskiy A. Rustamov E. and Adilkhanov E. followed in the 69th minute. Gibraltar U21 used two more substitutes in the 79th minute, bringing on Peacock J. and Coombes J. The changes allowed both sides to adjust during the final half-hour, but Gibraltar U21 could not find a way back into the match.

Azerbaijan U21 protected its lead through the closing minutes and kept Gibraltar U21 off the scoreboard. The hosts finished with three goals and assists from Ahmadov, Adilkhanov and Muradli. Gibraltar U21 could not recover after conceding early and remained without a win in the competition and across all competitions. Azerbaijan U21 remained unbeaten in the competition and across all competitions after the first match. The visitors’ record in the competition is now 0 wins and 1 loss, and their overall record is also 0 wins and 1 loss. Azerbaijan U21’s competition record is now 1 win and 0 losses, and its overall record is also 1 win and 0 losses.

Gibraltar U21’s attacking efforts were limited to chances that did not produce a goal. The visitors finished with zero goals, while Azerbaijan U21 scored three times. Clinton K. was the first player booked, and the yellow cards continued in the 56th minute for Rustamov E. and Rafi Emrani. Gibraltar U21 made four substitutions in all, and Azerbaijan U21 made five changes. The hosts’ defensive work kept the clean sheet intact through the final whistle.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Azerbaijan U21 1, Gibraltar U21 0. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Azerbaijan U21 with a 65.3 percent probability to win. The actual result was a three-goal victory for Azerbaijan U21, with Gibraltar U21 unable to score. The first goal arrived in the 8th minute, the second in the 43rd and the third in the 51st.