Baku, September 9, 2025
Azerbaijan’s national football team held Ukraine to a 1:1 draw in the second round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup European qualifiers at the Tofiq Bahramov Republican Stadium.
The visitors went ahead in the 51st minute when Georgi Sudakov found the net, capitalizing on a lapse in Azerbaijan’s defense. But the home side responded strongly. In the 72nd minute, captain Emin Mahmudov converted a penalty after a handball in Ukraine’s box, sending the crowd into celebration.
Mahmudov’s strike was historic — his 15th international goal, making him the all-time top scorer for the national team, surpassing Qurban Qurbanov’s long-standing record of 14.
The first half ended goalless despite several tense moments, with both sides creating chances but failing to break the deadlock. The Greek referee team kept the match under firm control.
This was an important recovery for Azerbaijan after their heavy 0:5 defeat to Iceland in the opening round. Ukraine, meanwhile, came into the game following a 0:2 loss to France.
The draw leaves both sides with one point after two matches in Group D, keeping their qualifying hopes alive but under pressure to improve in the coming fixtures.
