Wales' Long Journey To Azerbaijan: Why?

Wales and Azerbaijan have played against each other several times since 2002. In 2019, Wales played against Azerbaijan in Baku as part of the European Championship, Qualification Group E. Wales won the match, which was held at the Bakcell Arena stadium. In 2021, Welsh football fans travelled to Baku for the team's Euro 2020 games against Switzerland and Turkey, despite warnings from ministers not to travel due to coronavirus concerns.

Wales and Azerbaijan's head-to-head record

Wales and Azerbaijan have played each other seven times since 2002. Wales have won six of these matches, with Azerbaijan yet to win a game. The remaining match was a draw.

Azerbaijan first played Wales on 29 March 2003. The game ended with a score of 2-1 to Wales, with John Hartson and Ryan Giggs scoring for the Welsh side.

The most recent match between the two teams was on 4 September 2024, which ended in a 3-2 victory for Wales.

Wales and Azerbaijan have also played each other in the context of the Euro 2020 qualifying matches. On 6 September 2019, Wales beat Azerbaijan 2-1, keeping their Euro 2020 qualification hopes alive.

Azerbaijan fans have been known to cheer against Wales, as they did when Wales played Turkey in Baku in 2021. This is due to the historically strong relationship between Azerbaijan and Turkey, with the two countries linked by similar culture, history, and ethnicity as Turkic nations.

Baku's status as a host city

Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, has been a host city for several matches in the European Championship, including the Euro 2020 games. The city's Olympic Stadium, also known as the Tofik Bakhramov Stadium, hosted the 2019 Europa League final between Arsenal and Chelsea.

The Baku Olympic Stadium was filled to 25 per cent capacity during the Euro 2020 matches due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Despite warnings from ministers and the Football Association of Wales not to travel because of coronavirus concerns, some Welsh football fans travelled to Baku for the team's Euro 2020 games. Foreign nationals entering Azerbaijan were required to be vaccinated or produce a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours of departure.

The Baku Olympic Stadium is known for its impressive lighting displays, as it was lit up in the colours of the Turkish flag when Turkey played Italy in the tournament opener of Euro 2020.

The impact of Covid-19 on Wales fans' travel plans

The Covid-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on Wales fans' travel plans for the Euro 2020 games in Azerbaijan. The tournament, which was originally scheduled for June 2020, was postponed due to the pandemic, affecting the plans of thousands of fans who had already purchased tickets for the matches.

For the rearranged games, the Welsh government and football authorities advised fans not to travel to Azerbaijan due to coronavirus concerns. The Foreign Office warned against "all but essential travel to the whole of Azerbaijan based on the current assessment of Covid-19 risks". This warning presented a dilemma for Wales fans, who had to decide between supporting their team in person and prioritising their health and safety.

Despite these warnings, some dedicated Wales supporters chose to make the trip to Baku. A special Wizz Air flight from Cardiff airport carried around 120 fans who were willing to take the risk and make the journey despite the potential dangers. These fans had to provide a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours of their departure to Baku, as required by the Azerbaijani government.

For those who heeded the advice and chose not to travel, the disruption to their plans caused by Covid-19 was a source of disappointment. Many fans expressed their frustration on social media, lamenting the impact of the pandemic on their travel plans. Some Wales supporters had intended to combine the football with a wider European tour, but their dreams were dashed by the ongoing health crisis.

The pandemic has created a situation where Wales fans have had to carefully consider their priorities and make difficult choices. While some opted to put their health first, others decided that the opportunity to support their country in a major tournament was worth the risk, demonstrating the strong passion and dedication of Welsh football fans.

The performance of individual players

Wales and Azerbaijan have played each other numerous times, with Wales winning the majority of their matches. In their most recent match on 6 September 2019, Wales beat Azerbaijan 2-1.

In the 2019 match, Ryan Giggs, the Wales captain, said:

> Azerbaijan made it difficult. We were sloppy at times. We ground it through and showed our character. We just tried to keep doing what we were doing – be patient. We were playing decent football. We need to learn these things, we’re doing new things the manager wants. The most important thing was the three points. Scrappy wins get help you a winning mentality and momentum. Hopefully, this is a turning point. It wasn’t the best performance. We’ve scraped through. We’d like to do it in style but three points is three points. We all believe we can qualify. We’ll keep doing that until the end.

Joe Rodon, who made his Wales debut in the match, said:

> It was frustrating. Brilliant character from the boys to get over the line. Their goal was a setback but it happens. To get the three points gives us confidence for the next game. It’s a dream come true for me, especially to get three points in front of a home crowd. Hopefully, there’s more to come. We’ve got to believe in ourselves.

Joe Allen, the Wales midfielder, said:

> Not the prettiest win. They came here to make it difficult. It was disappointing to let them back in. We’d love for it to have been more comfortable but a win’s a win. Hopefully, a little bit of luck and the momentum has changed in our direction. Hopefully, with better performances, we can keep getting results. Being ahead in a game like that, in some ways it’s criminal to let them back in but we’ll learn from it. We’ve talked about in the dressing room – if we do our job and get the wins, especially at home, that will be pivotal.

Manager Ryan Giggs was critical of some of his players after the game, telling Sky Sports:

> Having dominated the game, I knew we needed a second goal. They’ve scored in every game, they’re dangerous on the counter. When you’re 1-0 up, it’s difficult whether to stick or twist. It wasn’t good enough, first half. We didn’t stick to our game plan. Some of our players wanted to do whatever they wanted to do. I was happy with the work-rate. We showed character to come back. We have so many players in good form, but too many players didn’t show up tonight.

Giggs also said:

> I think I’m close in training during the week and then come the game not so close. It’s not easy. The players play different styles with their clubs. We only get two training sessions. We’re getting there. When we do what we plan, we look dangerous – moving the ball quickly. We were in too much of a rush early on.

The managers' opinions on the game

Wales manager Ryan Giggs expressed relief after his side's 2-1 victory over Azerbaijan in a Euro 2020 qualifier. He said:

> Having dominated the game, I knew we needed a second goal. They’ve scored in every game, they're dangerous on the counter. When you’re 1-0 up, it’s difficult whether to stick or twist.

Giggs was critical of his players' performance, particularly in the first half, and said that some players "wanted to do whatever they wanted to do" instead of sticking to the game plan. He added that the team needed to improve their mentality when playing away from home.

Azerbaijan manager Əsgər Abdullayev did not comment on the game in the sources provided.

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