Baku, August 16, 2025 – The new season of the Misli Premier League began with mixed fortunes for Azerbaijan’s top clubs as Neftçi were held to a draw at home, while Turan-Tovuz snatched a last-minute victory.
At the Neftçi Arena, the hosts had to settle for a 1–1 draw against Shamakhi. The visitors struck first in the 23rd minute through Karim Rossi, silencing the Baku crowd. Neftçi, however, restored parity just before halftime when captain Emin Mahmudov confidently converted a penalty in stoppage time (45+2). Despite second-half pressure from the home side, the game ended without further goals.
Earlier in the day, Turan-Tovuz earned a dramatic win over Imishli on the road. The deadlock was broken in the 99th minute, when Spanish midfielder Roberto Olabe found the net to seal a 1–0 victory for the visitors.
The season opened yesterday with Karvan-Yevlakh and Gabala sharing the points in a 1–1 draw. The first round will continue with Sumgayit hosting Kapaz on August 17, and Zira facing Araz-Nakhchivan on August 19. The highly anticipated Sabah vs. Qarabag clash has been postponed due to Qarabag’s Champions League commitments.
The early results show that this year’s Premier League campaign could be wide open, with teams across the table eager to make a statement from the very first rounds.
