Azerbaijan Cup enters decisive quarterfinal stage

The second-leg matches of the quarterfinal stage of the Azerbaijan Football Cup kick off on March 3, AzerNEWS reports. They set the stage for decisive battles in the race for a place in the semifinals.

Only one fixture is scheduled for the opening day. In the sole match of the evening, Zira FK will host Sumgayit FK on home turf.

The encounter will take place at the stadium of the Zira Olympic Sport Complex Stadium, with kickoff set for 19:00. The match will be officiated by FIFA referee ElchinMesiyev.

The first leg, played in Sumgait, ended in a goalless draw (0–0), leaving everything to be decided in tonight’s return match. With no advantage on either side, anticipation is high as both teams look to secure their place in the next round.

The remaining second-leg quarterfinal clashes are scheduled for March 4–5.

The Azerbaijan Cup is one of the country's main domestic football tournaments. It was first established in 1936, during the period when Azerbaijan was part of the Soviet Union. At that time, however, Azerbaijani clubs competing within the Soviet league system did not take part in the competition in its current national format.

The Association of Football Federations of Azerbaijan has introduced various format changes over the years in an effort to increase interest and enhance the tournament's prestige.

Under the current structure, clubs from the Azerbaijan First League (second tier) enter the competition in the opening round. The winners progress to the second round, where teams from the Azerbaijan Premier League (top division) join the tournament. The quarterfinals and semifinals are played over two legs, with home-and-away fixtures, while the final is decided in a single, head-to-head match.