# 2012–13 AZAL PFC season

The AZAL 2012–13 season was AZAL's eighth Azerbaijan Premier League season and their first season with Vagif Sadygov as manager. They participated in the 2012–13 Azerbaijan Premier League, finishing 7th in the initial 22 game championship. They then went unbeaten, winning nine and drawing one, as the finished top of the Relegation Group with 57 points, 17 points clear of 8th placed Khazar Lankaran. They took part in the 2012–13 Azerbaijan Cup, which they were knocked out of at the second round stage by Simurq.

## Squad

    As of 10 April 2013
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 1 | GK | AZE | Amil Agajanov |
| 2 | DF | ESP | Juanfran |
| 3 | DF | AZE | Nduka Usim (Vice-captain) |
| 4 | DF | BRA | Aílton |
| 6 | MF | AZE | Tagim Novruzov |
| 7 | MF | AZE | Javid Tagiyev |
| 9 | FW | AZE | Elshan Mammadov |
| 10 | MF | AZE | Tarlan Khalilov |
| 11 | MF | MAR | Zouhir Benouahi |
| 12 | GK | AZE | Jahangir Hasanzade (Captain) |
| 15 | DF | LVA | Oskars Kļava |
| 16 | FW | BRA | Nildo |
| 17 | MF | NGA | Victor Igbekoyi |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 19 | MF | AZE | Orkhan Safiyaroglu |
| 20 | DF | SRB | Branislav Arsenijević |
| 22 | DF | AZE | Ruslan Tagizade |
| 23 | DF | AZE | Tural Narimanov |
| 24 | DF | UKR | Ruslan Zubkov |
| 25 | MF | AZE | Habil Nurəhmədov |
| 27 | GK | AZE | Ruslan Majidov |
| 28 | MF | USA | Will John |
| 32 | MF | SRB | Vladimir Bogdanović |
| 37 | MF | LTU | Andrius Velička |
| 77 | DF | AZE | Saşa Yunisoğlu |
| 99 | MF | AZE | Orkhan Hasanov |

## Transfers
### Summer

| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 2 | DF | ESP | Juanfran (from La Nucía) |
| 4 | DF | BRA | Aílton (Ferencvárosi) |
| 6 | MF | AZE | Tagim Novruzov (from Ravan) |
| 7 | MF | AZE | Javid Tagiyev (from Turan Tovuz) |
| 8 | MF | TKM | Elman Tagaýew (from Altyn Asyr) |
| 15 | DF | LVA | Oskars Kļava (from Liepājas Metalurgs) |
| 16 | FW | BRA | Nildo (from Górnik Leczna) |
| 18 | FW | AZE | Rahman Musayev (from Qaradağ) |
| 21 | FW | AZE | Yasin Abbasov (from Sumgayit) |
| 22 | DF | AZE | Ruslan Tagizade (from Neftchi Baku) |
| 24 | DF | UKR | Ruslan Zubkov (from Odesa) |
| 27 | GK | AZE | Ruslan Majidov (from Sumgayit) |
| 28 | MF | MDA | Artur Pătraş (Politehnica Timișoara) |
| 33 | GK | AZE | Khayyam Hasanov (from Shusha) |
| 37 | FW | LTU | Andrius Velička (from Ekranas) |
| 77 | FW | AZE | Arif Isayev (from Gabala) |
| 99 | MF | AZE | Orkhan Hasanov (from Neftchi Baku) |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 2 | DF | MKD | Robert Petrov |
| 6 | DF | LTU | Mindaugas Daunoravičius (to FK Nevėžis) |
| 10 | MF | RUS | Nugzar Kvirtiya (to Turan Tovuz) |
| 13 | DF | AZE | Shahriyar Rahimov (loan return to Inter Baku) |
| 15 | FW | MDA | Gheorghe Boghiu (to Milsami) |
| 19 | MF | AZE | Huseyn Akhundov (to Ravan Baku) |
| 20 | MF | SRB | Mensur Limani (to KF Tirana) |
| 23 | FW | BRA | Tales Schutz (to Inter Baku) |
| 24 | DF | UKR | Ruslan Zubkov (loan to Turan Tovuz) |
| 88 | MF | ALB | Ervin Bulku (to Sepahan) |

### Winter

| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 24 | DF | UKR | Ruslan Zubkov (loan return from Turan Tovuz) |
| 25 | MF | AZE | Habil Nurəhmədov (from Khazar Lankaran) |
| 28 | MF | USA | Will John (from Oleksandriya, previously on loan to Missouri Comets) |
| 32 | MF | SRB | Vladimir Bogdanović (from Panetolikos) |
| 77 | DF | AZE | Saşa Yunisoğlu (from Neftchi Baku) |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 5 | DF | AZE | Agil Nabiyev (to Baku) |
| 8 | MF | TKM | Elman Tagaýew (to Aşgabat) |
| 14 | DF | AZE | Sabuhi Hasanov |
| 18 | MF | AZE | Rahman Musayev |
| 21 | FW | AZE | Yasin Abbasov (to Neftchala) |
| 26 | MF | AZE | Etibar Shahmardanov (to Henstedt-Ulzburg) |
| 28 | MF | MDA | Artur Pătraş (to Politehnica Chişinău) |
| 77 | MF | AZE | Arif Isayev (to Denizlispor) |

## Competitions
### Azerbaijan Premier League
#### Results summary

| Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away |
Last updated: 3 March 2013. Source: Soccerway

#### Results by round

| Round | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 |
| Ground | A | H | A | H | H | A | H | A | A | H | A | A | H | A | A | H | A | H | H | A | H | H |
| Result | D | W | W | W | D | D | L | L | D | W | L | L | D | W | D | D | L | D | L | L | W | W |
| Position | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 7 |

#### League table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 5 | Gabala | 22 | 9 | 5 | 8 | 26 | 27 | −1 | 32 | Qualification for championship group |
| 6 | Baku | 22 | 6 | 12 | 4 | 24 | 15 | +9 | 30 | Qualification for championship group |
| 7 | AZAL | 22 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 32 | 25 | +7 | 29 | Qualification for relegation group |
| 8 | Khazar Lankaran | 22 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 32 | 27 | +5 | 28 | Qualification for relegation group |
| 9 | Turan | 22 | 6 | 5 | 11 | 24 | 35 | −11 | 23 | Qualification for relegation group |
* Note 1: The match was originally played on 02.12.2012 but suspended in 54th minute at 1-1 due to fog. The remaining minutes were played the next day.

### Azerbaijan Premier League Relegation Group
#### Results summary

| Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away |
Last updated: 20 May 2013. Source: Soccerway

#### Results by round

| Round | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
| Ground | A | A | H | A | H | H | A | H | A | H |
| Result | W | D | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W |
| Position | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 |

#### Table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 7 | AZAL | 32 | 16 | 9 | 7 | 57 | 32 | +25 | 57 | |
| 8 | Khazar Lankaran | 32 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 40 | 37 | +3 | 40 | Qualification for Europa League first qualifying round |
| 9 | Ravan Baku | 32 | 12 | 4 | 16 | 46 | 53 | −7 | 40 | |
| 10 | Sumgayit | 32 | 9 | 8 | 15 | 31 | 49 | −18 | 35 | |
| 11 | Turan (R) | 32 | 8 | 6 | 18 | 34 | 59 | −25 | 30 | Relegation to Azerbaijan First Division |
* ↑ Khazar Lankaran qualified for the first qualifying round of the 2013–14 UEFA Europa League as winner of the 2012–13 Azerbaijan Cup.

### Azerbaijan Cup
## Squad statistics

    As of 21 May 2013

### Appearances and goals

| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Total | Total | Premier League | Premier League | Azerbaijan Cup | Azerbaijan Cup |
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| 1 | GK | AZE | Amil Agajanov | 9 | 0 | 8+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| 2 | DF | ESP | Juanfran | 30 | 0 | 29+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| 3 | DF | AZE | Nduka Usim | 28 | 0 | 25+2 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| 4 | DF | BRA | Junior Ailton | 28 | 0 | 27+0 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| 6 | MF | AZE | Tagim Novruzov | 29 | 1 | 27+1 | 1 | 1+0 | 0 |
| 7 | MF | AZE | Javid Tagiyev | 26 | 5 | 17+8 | 5 | 1+0 | 0 |
| 9 | FW | AZE | Elshan Mammadov | 3 | 0 | 0+3 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 10 | MF | AZE | Tarlan Khalilov | 1 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 11 | MF | MAR | Zouhir Benouahi | 26 | 8 | 24+1 | 8 | 0+1 | 0 |
| 12 | GK | AZE | Jahangir Hasanzade | 19 | 0 | 19+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 14 | MF | AZE | Orkhan Safiyaroglu | 5 | 0 | 2+2 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 |
| 15 | DF | LVA | Oskars Kļava | 26 | 2 | 20+5 | 2 | 1+0 | 0 |
| 16 | FW | BRA | Nildo | 33 | 21 | 30+2 | 21 | 1+0 | 0 |
| 17 | MF | NGA | Victor Igbekoyi | 30 | 8 | 28+1 | 8 | 1+0 | 0 |
| 19 | MF | AZE | Orkhan Safiyaroglu | 7 | 1 | 5+2 | 1 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 20 | DF | SRB | Branislav Arsenijević | 32 | 2 | 30+1 | 2 | 1+0 | 0 |
| 22 | DF | AZE | Ruslan Tagizade | 26 | 5 | 16+10 | 5 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 23 | DF | AZE | Tural Narimanov | 11 | 0 | 6+5 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 27 | GK | AZE | Ruslan Majidov | 6 | 0 | 5+1 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 28 | MF | USA | Will John | 6 | 4 | 3+3 | 4 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 32 | MF | SRB | Vladimir Bogdanović | 14 | 0 | 7+7 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 37 | MF | LTU | Andrius Velicka | 15 | 0 | 4+11 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 77 | DF | AZE | Saşa Yunisoğlu | 1 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 99 | MF | AZE | Orkhan Hasanov | 14 | 0 | 7+7 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| Players who appeared for AZAL no longer at the club: ||||||||||
| 5 | DF | AZE | Agil Nabiyev | 2 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 8 | MF | TKM | Elman Tagaýew | 8 | 0 | 8+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 26 | MF | AZE | Etibar Shahmardanov | 2 | 0 | 0+2 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 28 | MF | MDA | Artur Pătraş | 8 | 0 | 6+1 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| 77 | FW | AZE | Arif Isayev | 5 | 0 | 0+4 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 |

### Goal scorers

| Place | Position | Number | Name | Premier League | Azerbaijan Cup | Total |
| 1 | FW | 16 | Nildo | 21 | 0 | 21 |
| 2 | MF | 11 | Zouhir Benouahi | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| 2 | FW | 17 | Victor Igbekoyi | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| 4 | MF | 7 | Javid Tagiyev | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| 5 | MF | 28 | Will John | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| 5 | DF | 22 | Ruslan Tagizade | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| 7 | DF | 20 | Branislav Arsenijević | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 7 | DF | 15 | Oskars Kļava | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 9 | MF | 19 | Orkhan Safiyaroglu | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 9 | MF | 6 | Tagim Novruzov | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| | | | TOTALS | 57 | 0 | 57 |

### Disciplinary record

| Number | Position | Name | Premier League | Premier League | Azerbaijan Cup | Azerbaijan Cup | Total | Total |
| 1 | GK | Amil Agajanov | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 2 | DF | Juanfran | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| 3 | DF | Nduka Usim | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 4 | DF | Junior Ailton | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
| 6 | MF | Tagim Novruzov | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
| 7 | MF | Javid Tagiyev | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 |
| 11 | MF | Zouhir Benouahi | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 12 | GK | Jahangir Hasanzade | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 15 | DF | Oskars Kļava | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| 17 | FW | Victor Igbekoyi | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| 20 | DF | Branislav Arsenijević | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 22 | DF | Ruslan Tagizade | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| 23 | DF | Tural Narimanov | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 26 | MF | Etibar Shahmardanov | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 28 | MF | Artur Pătraş | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 32 | MF | Vladimir Bogdanović | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 37 | MF | Andrius Velička | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 99 | MF | Orkhan Hasanov | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| | | TOTALS | 66 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 67 | 2 |