Azerbaijan round-up: Disputes rumble on

Only one of the three scheduled league games was played in Azerbaijan on Wednesday as the dispute within the national league rumbled on.

Unexpected cancellation
The only game that took place was in Surahani, where FC Karabakh-Agdam drew 3-3 with FC Khazar University. FC Kapaz and FC Shamkir unexpectedly abandoned their fixture, and FC Neftchi and FC Shafa refused to play as well.

Breakaway league
Many clubs in Azerbaijan have formed a breakaway league in protest at the way the Yusek Deste was run by the Association of Football Federations of Azerbaijan (AFFA) and its president, Fuad Musayev. FC Shafa, which is operated and owned by AFFA, is excluded from the revamped league, while AFFA officials and match delegated have also been banned from attending.

Unpaid wages
Meanwhile, in Ganja, FC Kapaz players refused to face leaders and title-holders FC Shamkir, citing unpaid wages. The match had to be abandoned, although it is not clear yet whether Kapaz will be awarded a technical defeat. The league authorities are to decide over the coming days.

Kudinov double
In the match that was played, Dmitry Kudinov struck for Agdam on ten minutes, and doubled Karabakh`s lead just after the break. But Khazar fought back through a goal by Zahir Askerov on 55 minutes, and then Vugar Gurbanov equalised with a quarter of an hour to go.

Brilliant solo run
Aftandil Orujev gave Agdam the lead several minutes later, beating Timuri Chilaidze after a brilliant solo run, but Rashad Abdullayev levelled the score at 3-3, after he tricked Nadyr Shyukyurov in the Agdam goal. The draw did not have any effect on the table, as both clubs stayed at the bottom of the top-six group - Khazar are fifth, and Agdam sixth.