BAKU (Interstat) — Marafon beat visiting Zaqatala 1-0 on Tuesday in a competition match defined by a single second-half goal and a determined defensive effort. Allahverdiyev I. scored in the 59th minute, providing the only breakthrough in a game that remained tight through the closing half-hour. Zaqatala could not answer, and Marafon held on for its first win of the competition.

The match was scoreless at halftime before Marafon found the decisive moment early in the second half. Allahverdiyev I. finished the game’s only goal in the 59th minute, and Zaqatala was unable to produce an equalizer over the remaining 31 minutes plus stoppage time. Marafon’s defense protected the narrow advantage, while Zaqatala’s attacking efforts did not yield a goal.

Marafon played with the lead after the break and asked Zaqatala to break down a compact defensive block. The visitors moved the ball into attacking areas but could not find a clear finishing chance. As the second half wore on, Zaqatala’s need for an equalizer increased, while Marafon remained content to protect the one-goal margin. The home side’s game management limited Zaqatala’s best opportunities and kept the match from opening up.

Zaqatala’s result extended a difficult start to the season. The visitors are now 0-1 in the competition and 0-4 across all competitions. The loss followed earlier defeats this season: Zaqatala had lost 7-0 at Gancabasar, 3-1 at home to Sabail and 6-0 at Sahdag Qusar. Those results left Zaqatala searching for its first win across all competitions, and the scoreless performance on Tuesday kept that search going.

For Marafon, the victory moved the home side to 1-0 in the competition and 1-0 across all competitions. The clean sheet was the central feature of the result, as Marafon made Allahverdiyev I.’s 59th-minute goal stand. The home team managed the final phase without conceding, and Zaqatala could not find the finishing touch needed to level the match.

The contest unfolded as a low-scoring affair, with the only goal arriving after halftime. Marafon’s lead forced Zaqatala to push forward, but the visitors were unable to turn possession or pressure into a goal. Marafon, meanwhile, protected its advantage and secured the result. The match remained 1-0 through the final whistle.

Zaqatala had lost its previous three matches, and Tuesday’s match added another loss to that sequence. The visitors have now been held without a goal in this competition match and remain without a win in four matches across all competitions this season. Marafon, by contrast, has opened its competition account with a win and remains unbeaten across all competitions.

The game’s decisive passage came in the 59th minute, when Allahverdiyev I. scored for Marafon. Zaqatala could not respond, and the home side closed out the match from there. The result gave Marafon the full share of the points and left Zaqatala still seeking its first victory.

Zaqatala’s match was marked by an inability to convert its attacking spells into a goal. The visitors had entered the match after three defeats and were unable to reverse that trend. Marafon’s defenders dealt with the pressure and protected the lead in the closing stages. The result gave Marafon a clean sheet and left Zaqatala without a goal in the competition match. The visitors pressed for a response but could not find one before the final whistle. Marafon’s win came in the competition and moved its record to 1-0, while Zaqatala’s competition record moved to one loss.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a 2-0 final in Marafon’s favor, and Interstat’s ELO system had given Marafon a 73.3 percent probability to win. The match’s total score of 1 went over the over-under line of 2.5.