EUROPEAN QUALIFIERS - 2014/16 SEASON MATCH PRESS KITS National Stadium - Ta' Qali Sunday 6 September 2015 18.00CET (18.00 local time) Group H - Matchday -5 Last updated 12/07/2021 18:00CET

Official Partners of UEFA EURO 2020

Previous meetings 2 Match background 3 Squad list 4 Head coach 6 Match officials 7 Competition facts 8 Match-by-match lineups 9 Team facts 11 Legend 13

1 Malta - Azerbaijan Sunday 6 September 2015 - 18.00CET (18.00 local time) Match press kit National Stadium, Ta' Qali

Previous meetings Head to Head 2016 UEFA European Championship Stage Date Match Result Venue Goalscorers reached C. Hüseynov 4, 28/03/2015 QR (GS) Azerbaijan - Malta 2-0 Nazarov 90+2

Final Qualifying Total tournament

Home Away Pld W D L Pld W D L Pld W D L Pld W D L GF GA EURO Malta - - - - 1 0 0 1 - - - - 1 0 0 1 0 2 Azerbaijan 1 1 0 0 ------1 1 0 0 2 0 FIFA* Malta ------Azerbaijan ------Friendlies Malta ------4 3 0 1 9 3 Azerbaijan ------4 1 0 3 3 9 Total Malta - - - - 1 0 0 1 - - - - 5 3 0 2 9 5 Azerbaijan 1 1 0 0 ------5 2 0 3 5 9 * FIFA World Cup/FIFA Confederations Cup

2 Malta - Azerbaijan Sunday 6 September 2015 - 18.00CET (18.00 local time) Match press kit National Stadium, Ta' Qali Match background

Malta are firmly fixed to the bottom of UEFA EURO 2016 qualifying Group H as they welcome Azerbaijan, a side they have beaten three times at home. • is suspended after accumulating three bookings. The following players are a yellow card away from a ban: , (Malta) and Dmitrij Nazarov (Azerbaijan). Previous meetings • Azerbaijan beat Malta 2-0 in Baku in March in what was the teams' first competitive fixture; they had previously met in four friendly games, with Malta registering three wins to Azerbaijan's one. • Malta have won all three of their home matches against Azerbaijan, with nine goals scored and none conceded. Form guide • Malta have lost their last nine competitive home fixtures and have yet to score at home in Group H. • A total of 22 games have passed (D3 L19) since their last competitive home victory, 2-1 against Hungary on 11 October 2006. • Azerbaijan are without a win in 13 competitive away matches (D4 L9) since a 2-0 success in Liechtenstein on 10 October 2009. • Azerbaijan's 0-0 draw against Croatia last time out means they have yet to concede in three Group H games under new coach Robert Prosinečki, the first of them being that 2-0 win against Malta in Baku. Trivia and links • This is Malta's 100th UEFA European Championship outing. • The two countries' clubs have met in four UEFA competition fixtures, with the Azerbaijani side winning three and drawing one. Most recently, Qarabağ FK overcame FC 1-0 away and 4-0 at home in last season's UEFA Champions League second qualifying round.

3 Malta - Azerbaijan Sunday 6 September 2015 - 18.00CET (18.00 local time) Match press kit National Stadium, Ta' Qali Squad list

Malta Current season Overall Qual. FT Team No. Player DoB Age Club D Pld Gls Pld Gls Pld Gls Goalkeepers - Justin Haber 09/06/1981 34 Birkirkara - 1 0 0 0 54 - - Andrew Hogg 02/03/1985 30 Kalloni - 6 0 0 0 41 - - 13/10/1988 26 Valletta - 0 0 0 0 1 - Defenders - Alex Muscat 14/12/1984 30 Sliema - 2 0 0 0 30 - - Ryan Camilleri 22/05/1988 27 Valletta - 6 0 0 0 22 - - Andrei Agius 12/08/1986 29 Hibernians * 7 0 0 0 52 1 Aris - 15/05/1988 27 - 3 0 0 0 14 - Limassol - Clifford Baldacchino 09/02/1988 27 Sliema - 1 0 0 0 2 - Midfielders - 24/08/1981 34 Valletta - 6 0 0 0 85 1 - Gareth Sciberras 29/03/1983 32 Birkirkara - 1 0 0 0 40 - - 08/01/1986 29 Hibernians - 6 1 0 0 42 2 - 31/05/1988 27 Birkirkara - 0 0 0 0 3 - - Rowen Muscat 05/06/1991 24 Birkirkara - 7 0 0 0 19 - - Clyde Borg 20/03/1992 23 Floriana - 0 0 0 0 - - - Bjorn Kristensen 05/04/1993 22 Hibernians - 3 0 0 0 8 - - Zach Muscat 22/08/1993 22 Birkirkara - 7 0 0 0 10 - Forwards - Michael Mifsud 17/04/1981 34 Sliema - 5 0 0 0 110 39 - Jean-Pierre Triganza 20/11/1981 33 Valletta - 0 0 0 0 1 - - Andrew Cohen 13/05/1981 34 Hibernians - 2 0 0 0 64 1 - André Schembri 27/05/1986 29 Omonia - 7 0 0 0 67 3 - Stephen Pisani 07/08/1992 23 Floriana - 1 0 0 0 1 - - Terence Vella 20/04/1990 25 Birkirkara - 2 0 0 0 11 - - Alfred Effiong 29/11/1984 30 Balzan - 3 0 0 0 5 1 Coach - Pietro Ghedin 21/11/1952 62 - 8 0 0 0 53 -

4 Malta - Azerbaijan Sunday 6 September 2015 - 18.00CET (18.00 local time) Match press kit National Stadium, Ta' Qali

Azerbaijan Current season Overall Qual. FT Team No. Player DoB Age Club D Pld Gls Pld Gls Pld Gls Goalkeepers - Kamran Agayev 09/02/1986 29 Karşıyaka - 6 0 0 0 54 - - Agil Mammadov 01/05/1989 26 Neftçi - 0 0 0 0 - - - Salahat Agayev 04/01/1991 24 İnter Bakı - 1 0 0 0 6 - Defenders - Rashad F. Sadygov 16/06/1982 33 Qarabağ - 7 0 0 0 95 4 - Arif Dashdemirov 10/02/1987 28 Qäbälä - 3 0 0 0 5 - Metalurh - Pavlo Pashayev 04/01/1988 27 - 0 0 0 0 2 - Zaporizhya Xäzär - Ruslan Abışov 10/10/1987 27 - 2 0 0 0 45 4 Länkäran - Gara Garayev 12/10/1992 22 Qarabağ - 7 0 0 0 17 - - Tarlan Guliyev 19/04/1992 23 Käpäz - 2 0 0 0 2 - - Badavi Hüseynov 11/07/1991 24 Qarabağ - 6 0 0 0 18 - - Magomed Mirzabekov 16/11/1990 24 Qäbälä - 1 0 0 0 2 - Midfielders - Rashad A. Sadygov 08/10/1983 31 Qäbälä - 1 0 0 0 22 - Xäzär - Rahid Amirguliyev 01/09/1989 26 - 6 0 0 0 44 1 Länkäran - Araz Abdullayev 18/04/1992 23 Neftçi - 4 0 0 0 15 - - Afran Ismayilov 08/10/1988 26 Qarabağ - 3 0 0 0 22 1 - Javid Taghiyev 22/07/1992 23 Qarabağ - 0 0 0 0 - - - Dmitri Nazarov 04/04/1990 25 Karlsruhe * 7 2 0 0 11 3 - Eddy 02/08/1992 23 Eibar - 2 0 0 0 2 - Forwards - Magomed Kurbanov 11/04/1992 23 Neftçi - 2 0 0 0 3 - Xäzär - Vüqar Nadirov 15/06/1987 28 - 5 0 0 0 58 4 Länkäran - Ruslan Gurbanov 12/09/1991 23 Neftçi - 3 0 0 0 4 - - Rauf Aliyev 12/02/1989 26 İnter Bakı - 4 0 0 0 41 7 Xäzär - Elnur Jafarov 28/03/1997 18 - 0 0 0 0 - - Länkäran Coach - Robert Prosinečki 12/01/1969 46 - 4 0 0 0 5 -

5 Malta - Azerbaijan Sunday 6 September 2015 - 18.00CET (18.00 local time) Match press kit National Stadium, Ta' Qali Head coach Pietro Ghedin Date of birth: 21 November 1952 Nationality: Italian Playing career: ACF Fiorentina, SS Lazio, AC Venezia, Calcio Catania, Pescara Calcio, AC Pistoiese, AC Siena Coaching career: Italy Under-18, Malta U21, Malta (twice), Italy (assistant), Italy women • Defender Ghedin played in with Fiorentina and Lazio, joining the latter immediately after the capital side had won their first-ever Scudetto in 1974 and remaining at the Stadio Olimpico until 1981. He played out his career in the lower divisions. • Ghedin became an Italian Football Federation (FIGC) coach in 1987, leading the country's U18s and becoming senior national team scout ahead of the 1990 FIFA World Cup in Italy. • He served as the Azzurri goalkeeping coach for the Olympic Games of 1992 and 1996. Additionally, while still under contract with the FIGC, he also coached the Malta national side at both U21 and senior level between 1992 and 1995. • Appointed assistant to Italy coach Cesare Maldini during the 1998 World Cup, Ghedin remained in that role under Dino Zoff at UEFA EURO 2000 and Giovanni Trapattoni at the 2002 World Cup. • Ghedin became Italy's senior women's coach in 2005, guiding them to the UEFA Women's EURO 2009 quarter- finals, before leaving in 2012 to return to the Malta helm. Robert Prosinečki Date of birth: 12 January 1969 Nationality: Croatian Playing career: GNK Dinamo Zagreb (twice), FK Crvena zvezda, Real Madrid CF, Real Oviedo, FC Barcelona, Sevilla FC, NK Hrvatski Dragovoljac, R. Standard de Liège, Portsmouth FC, NK Olimpija Ljubljana, NK Zagreb Coaching career: Croatia (assistant), FK Crvena zvezda, • Born in , Prosinečki moved back to Croatia with his family in 1979, and developed as a midfielder with stunning technique at Dinamo Zagreb. • He moved on to Crvena zvezda and helped the Belgrade side to win the 1990/91 European Champion Clubs' Cup, scoring the opening penalty in their shoot-out success against Olympique de Marseille. • After a high-profile transfer, injuries hampered his time at Real Madrid, though he was to stay in Spain for some time, representing Oviedo, Barcelona and Sevilla before further adventures in Belgium, England and Slovenia. • Capped 15 times for Yugoslavia and 49 times for Croatia, his goals in the 1990 and 1998 tournaments made him the only player to score in FIFA World Cup finals competitons for two different nations. • Having assisted former Croatia team-mate Slaven Bilić with the national team, Prosinečki coached Crvena zvezda to Serbian Cup success in 2011/12 and led Turkish side Kayserispor from 2012–13. Hired as Azerbaijan coach in December 2014.

6 Malta - Azerbaijan Sunday 6 September 2015 - 18.00CET (18.00 local time) Match press kit National Stadium, Ta' Qali Match officials

Referee Harald Lechner (AUT) Assistant referees Maximilian Kolbitsch (AUT) , Andreas Staudinger (AUT) Additional assistant referees Alexander Harkam (AUT) , Julian Weinberger (AUT) Fourth official Andreas Heidenreich (AUT) UEFA Delegate Alvaro Albino (POR) UEFA Referee observer Jouni Hyytiä (FIN)

Referee UEFA EURO Name Date of birth UEFA matches matches Harald Lechner 30/07/1982 2 31

Harald Lechner Referee since: 1998 First division: 2006 FIFA badge: 2010

Tournaments: 2012 UEFA European Under-17 Championship, 2011 UEFA Regions' Cup

Finals N/A

UEFA European Championship matches featuring the two countries involved in this match No such matches refereed Other matches involving teams from either of the two countries involved in this match No such matches refereed

7 Malta - Azerbaijan Sunday 6 September 2015 - 18.00CET (18.00 local time) Match press kit National Stadium, Ta' Qali Competition facts

8 Malta - Azerbaijan Sunday 6 September 2015 - 18.00CET (18.00 local time) Match press kit National Stadium, Ta' Qali Match-by-match lineups Malta

European Qualifiers Matchday 1 (09/09/2014) Croatia 2-0 Malta Goals: 1-0 Modrić 46, 2-0 Kramarić 81 Malta: Hogg, S. Borg, Agius, R. Fenech, Failla, P. Fenech (87 Scicluna), Mifsud (33 Bezzina), Schembri, R. Muscat (76 Kristensen), R. Camilleri, Z. Muscat Matchday 2 (10/10/2014) Malta 0-3 Norway Goals: 0-1 Daehli 22, 0-2 King 26, 0-3 King 49 Malta: Hogg, Z. Muscat, P. Fenech, Agius, R. Fenech (72 Kristensen), Failla, Briffa (72 Grioli), Mifsud, R. Muscat, Schembri (85 T. Vella), R. Camilleri Matchday 3 (13/10/2014) Malta 0-1 Italy Goals: 0-1 Pellè 24 Malta: Hogg, Z. Muscat, P. Fenech, Agius, Failla (93 Bezzina), Briffa, Mifsud, R. Muscat, Schembri (85 Cohen), Mintoff (72 Baldacchino), R. Camilleri Matchday 4 (16/11/2014) Bulgaria 1-1 Malta Goals: 1-0 Galabinov 6, 1-1 Failla 49 (P) Malta: Hogg, Caruana, P. Fenech, Agius, Failla (81 Bezzina), Briffa, J.P. Farrugia (93 T. Vella), R. Muscat, Schembri (78 R. Fenech), R. Camilleri, Z. Muscat Matchday 5 (28/03/2015) Azerbaijan 2-0 Malta Goals: 1-0 J. Hüseynov 4, 2-0 Nazarov 90+2 Malta: Hogg, Caruana, Bezzina (46 S. Pisani), S. Borg, Agius, Briffa, R. Muscat, Schembri (81 R. Fenech), P. Fenech, R. Camilleri (36 Z. Muscat), Effiong Matchday 6 (12/06/2015) Malta 0-1 Bulgaria Goals: 0-1 Popov 56 Malta: Haber, A. Muscat (63 Herrera), Agius, P. Fenech, Failla, Briffa (76 Schembri), Mifsud (84 Cohen), R. Muscat, R. Camilleri, Effiong, Z. Muscat Matchday 7 (03/09/2015) Italy 1-0 Malta Goals: 1-0 Pellè 69 Malta: Hogg, A. Muscat, Agius, P. Fenech, Failla, Briffa (91 Sciberras), R. Muscat, Schembri (73 Kristensen), S. Borg, Effiong (93 Mifsud), Z. Muscat Matchday 8 (06/09/2015) Malta-Azerbaijan Matchday 9 (10/10/2015) Norway-Malta Matchday 10 (13/10/2015) Malta-Croatia Azerbaijan

European Qualifiers Matchday 1 (09/09/2014) Azerbaijan 1-2 Bulgaria Goals: 0-1 Mitsanski 14, 1-1 Nazarov 54, 1-2 V. Hristov 87

9 Malta - Azerbaijan Sunday 6 September 2015 - 18.00CET (18.00 local time) Match press kit National Stadium, Ta' Qali Azerbaijan: K. Agayev, Garayev, Shukurov, Hüseynov, Javadov (46 А. Abdullayev), Dadaşov, R. Aliyev, Nazarov, Sadygov, Abışov (74 Guliyev), Ufuk Budak (90 Nadirov) Matchday 2 (10/10/2014) Italy 2-1 Azerbaijan Goals: 1-0 Chiellini 44, 1-1 Chiellini 76 (og) , 2-1 Chiellini 82 Azerbaijan: K. Agayev, Garayev, Allahverdiyev, Hüseynov, А. Abdullayev, Qırtımov (46 Ramaldanov), Dadaşov (59 J. Hüseynov), R. Aliyev, Nazarov, Sadygov, Amirguliyev (86 Nadirov) Matchday 3 (13/10/2014) Croatia 6-0 Azerbaijan Goals: 1-0 Kramarić 11, 2-0 Perišić 34, 3-0 Perišić 45, 4-0 Brozović 45+1, 5-0 Modrić 57 (P) , 6-0 Sadygov 61 (og) Azerbaijan: K. Agayev, Garayev (30 Ramazanov (41 J. Hüseynov)), Ramaldanov, Allahverdiyev (66 Guliyev), Hüseynov, А. Abdullayev, R. Aliyev, Nazarov, Sadygov, Medvedev, Amirguliyev Matchday 4 (16/11/2014) Azerbaijan 0-1 Norway Goals: 0-1 Nordtveit 25 Azerbaijan: S. Agayev, Shukurov, Medvedev, Javadov, А. Abdullayev, R. Aliyev, Sadygov, Abışov (65 Garayev), Amirguliyev, Imamverdiyev (69 Nazarov), Yunuszadä Matchday 5 (28/03/2015) Azerbaijan 2-0 Malta Goals: 1-0 J. Hüseynov 4, 2-0 Nazarov 90+2 Azerbaijan: K. Agayev, Garayev, Medvedev, Hüseynov, Sadygov, J. Hüseynov, Nadirov (81 Eddy), Amirguliyev, Alaskarov (22 R. Gurbanov), Dashdemirov, Ismayilov (70 Nazarov) Matchday 6 (12/06/2015) Norway 0-0 Azerbaijan Azerbaijan: K. Agayev, Garayev, Medvedev, Hüseynov, R. Gurbanov (81 Nadirov), Nazarov (93 Kurbanov), Sadygov, J. Hüseynov, Amirguliyev, Dashdemirov, Ismayilov Matchday 7 (03/09/2015) Azerbaijan 0-0 Croatia Azerbaijan: K. Agayev, Garayev, Mirzabekov, Hüseynov, Kurbanov (63 Sadygov), R. Gurbanov (79 Nadirov), Nazarov (90 Eddy), Sadygov, Amirguliyev, Dashdemirov, Ismayilov Matchday 8 (06/09/2015) Malta-Azerbaijan Matchday 9 (10/10/2015) Azerbaijan-Italy Matchday 10 (13/10/2015) Bulgaria-Azerbaijan

10 Malta - Azerbaijan Sunday 6 September 2015 - 18.00CET (18.00 local time) Match press kit National Stadium, Ta' Qali Team facts

UEFA European Championship records: Malta History 2012 – did not qualify 2008 – did not qualify 2004 – did not qualify 2000 – did not qualify 1996 – did not qualify 1992 – did not qualify 1988 – did not qualify 1984 – did not qualify 1980 – did not qualify 1972 – did not qualify 1968 – did not qualify 1964 – did not qualify 1960 – did not participate Qualifying win 2-0: Malta v Greece, 23/02/75 Qualifying defeat 12-1: Spain v Malta, 21/12/83 Overall appearances 34: Michael Mifsud 32: 29: David Carabott 26: Kristian Laferla 26: André Schembri 25: 25: John Buttigieg Overall goals 9: Michael Mifsud 5: Carmel Busuttil 4: David Carabott

UEFA European Championship records: Azerbaijan History 2012 – did not qualify 2008 – did not qualify 2004 – did not qualify 2000 – did not qualify 1996 – did not qualify Qualifying win 4-0: Azerbaijan v Liechtenstein, 05/06/99 Qualifying defeat 10-0: France v Azerbaijan, 06/09/95 Overall appearances 26: Rashad Sadygov 22: Emin Agaev 22: Aslan Kerimov 21: Tarlan Akhmedov 19: Makhmud Gurbanov Overall goals 5: Gurban Gurbanov 3: Vüqar Nadirov 2: Rauf Aliyev 2: Farrukh Ismaylov

11 Malta - Azerbaijan Sunday 6 September 2015 - 18.00CET (18.00 local time) Match press kit National Stadium, Ta' Qali 2: Vagif Javadov 2: Dmitri Nazarov 2: Nazim Suleymanov 2: Zaur Tagizade

12 Malta - Azerbaijan Sunday 6 September 2015 - 18.00CET (18.00 local time) Match press kit National Stadium, Ta' Qali Legend

:: Previous meetings

Goals for/against: Goal totals include the outcome of disciplinary decisions (e.g. match forfeits when a 3-0 result is determined). Goals totals do not include goals scored during a penalty shoot-out after a tie ended in a draw

:: Squad list

Qual.: Total European Qualifiers appearances/goals for UEFA EURO 2020 only. FT: Total UEFA EURO 2020 appearances/goals in final tournament only. Overall: Total international appearances/goals. DoB: Date of birth Age: Based on the date press kit was last updated D: Disciplinary (*: misses next match if booked, S: suspended)

:: Team facts

EURO finals: The UEFA European Championship was a four-team event in 1960, 1964, 1968, 1972 and 1976 (when the preliminary round and quarter-finals were considered part of qualifying).

From 1980 it was expanded to an eight-team finals and remained in that format in 1984, 1988 and 1992 until 1996, when the 16-team format was adopted. UEFA EURO 2016 was the first tournament to be played as a 24-team finals.

Records of inactive countries A number of UEFA associations have been affected by dissolution or splits of member associations. For statistical purposes, the records of these inactive countries have been allocated elsewhere: therefore, all Soviet Union matches are awarded to Russia; all West Germany – but not East Germany – matches are awarded to Germany; all Yugoslavia and Serbia & Montenegro matches are awarded to Serbia; all Czechoslovakia matches are allocated to both the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

Abandoned/forfeited matches For statisical purposes, when a match has been started and then abandoned but later forfeited, the result on the pitch at the time of abandonment is counted. Matches that never started and were either cancelled or forfeited are not included in the overall statistics. Competitions Other abbreviations (aet): After extra time pens: Penalties No.: Number og: Own goal ag: Match decided on away goals P: Penalty agg: Aggregate Pld: Matches played AP: Appearances Pos.: Position Comp.: Competition Pts: Points D: Drawn R: Sent off (straight red card) DoB: Date of birth Res.: Result ET: Extra Time sg: Match decided by silver goal GA: Goals against t: Match decided by toss of a coin GF: Goals for W: Won gg: Match decided by golden goal Y: Booked L: Lost Y/R: Sent off (two yellow cards) Nat.: Nationality N/A: Not applicable Disclaimer: Although UEFA has taken all reasonable care that the information contained within this document is accurate at the time of publication, no representation or guarantee (including liability towards third parties), expressed or implied, is made as to its accuracy, reliability or completeness. Therefore, UEFA assumes no liability for the use or interpretation of information contained herein. More information can be found in the competition regulations available on UEFA.com.

13