Armenia round-up: Pyunik extend advantage

FC Pyunik opened up a four-point gap at the summit of the Armenian Premier League following a dramatic 1-0 victory over title challengers FC Shirak.

Dramatic winner
Pyunik had the chance to take the lead during the opening exchages but Eduard Partsikyan missed from the penalty spot. However, the leaders claimed maximum points when Cameroonian substitute Issa Traore hit the target four minutes into added time.

Players on trial
Pyunik fielded three Argentinian trialists during the match. The club intend to strengthen their squad ahead of their UEFA Champions League first qualifying round tie against KR Reykjavík of Iceland and are running the rule over nine Argentinian trialists. One of them, Luis Raul Osvaldo, was involved in the attack that led to Traore’s winning goal.

Hakobyan brothers
FC Banants beat FC MIKA 4-1 to exact revenge following their defeat in the Armenian Cup final. Aram Voskanyan opened the scoring for Mika, before Ara Hakobyan set up brother Aram for the equaliser five minutes before half-time. The brothers combined again for Banants' second, with Ara on the scoresheet, before Ara Hakobyan completed his hat-trick with two more goals on 71 and 77 minutes.

First point
FC Araks won their first point of the campaign as their home game against FC Lernagorts ended in a goalless stalemate. Araks have found it hard to score this season and have found the back of the net just once in eight games and have conceded 27 times. The game between FC Kotayk and FC Dinamo-2000 Yerevan was postponed as Kotayk had to play the Czech side 1. FC Brno in the UEFA Intertoto Cup.