BAKU (Interstat) — Shimal rode a balanced attack and a late surge to a 5-2 victory over Baku Sporting on Thursday, turning a tight contest into a comfortable home result. The home side scored first and never trailed, though Baku Sporting twice cut into the lead before Shimal pulled away in the closing minutes. Shimal finished the match with five goals against two for the visitors, improving to 2 wins, 0 losses and 1 draw in the competition and to the same record across all competitions. Baku Sporting dropped to 0 wins and 3 losses in the competition and 0 wins and 3 losses across all competitions.

Shimal opened the scoring in the 40th minute when Aliyev E. found the net. The goal gave the home side a narrow advantage that held until halftime. Baku Sporting answered in the 50th minute through Sadiq Huseynli, who played 90 minutes and scored once. Huseynli’s goal leveled the match and briefly changed the momentum before Shimal regained control.

Shimal went back in front in the 70th minute when Moustapha Niambele scored. Niambele played 90 minutes and scored once. Niyazi Osmanov extended the lead in the 78th minute, also playing 90 minutes and scoring once. Baku Sporting pulled one back in the 84th minute through Babayi A., but Cavid Quliyev closed the scoring in the 90th minute plus four. Quliyev played 90 minutes and scored once. The sequence left Shimal in control after halftime. Huseynli’s equalizer had given Baku Sporting a brief lift, but Shimal answered with goals from Niambele and Osmanov before Babayi’s strike made the final minutes interesting. Quliyev then put the result beyond doubt in stoppage time, completing a second-half scoring run that carried the home side to the win.

Baku Sporting’s Sadiq Huseynli was one of the visitors’ key performers, playing the full match and scoring once. For Shimal, Moustapha Niambele, Niyazi Osmanov and Cavid Quliyev each played 90 minutes and scored once, with their goals coming in the second half and stoppage time. Aliyev E. and Babayi A. also scored in the match, with Aliyev opening the scoring for Shimal and Babayi providing Baku Sporting’s second goal.

Shimal entered the match after a 4-1 road win at Mingachevir and a 1-1 home draw with Khankendi. Baku Sporting entered after a 3-1 home loss to MOIK Baku and a 2-0 road loss at Gancabasar. Those results left Shimal unbeaten in the competition and Baku Sporting still seeking its first win. The visitors showed some fight with goals from Huseynli and Babayi, but Shimal’s response was decisive.

The victory continued Shimal’s unbeaten start to the competition and left Baku Sporting without a win. Shimal’s record in the competition now stands at 2 wins, 0 losses and 1 draw, matching its record across all competitions. Baku Sporting’s competition record is 0 wins and 3 losses, also matching its overall record. Shimal has now won two of its three competition matches and drawn the other. Baku Sporting has lost all three of its competition matches and all three of its matches across all competitions. The home side’s win came after it had opened the competition with a road win and a home draw.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Shimal 4, Baku Sporting 0. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Shimal with a 73.7 percent probability to win. Shimal had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of -0.5. The total score of 7 went under the over/under line of 2.5.