Azerbaijan-Finland
With this result Azerbaijan tops the charts of the group with 9 points waiting for the second round robin coming up next week in Baku where a ticket for the final round of the 2013 European Championship will be eventually assigned.
“Our goal was not to lose any set here and we eventually achieved it. This was nevertheless only the first step and we look forward to our home matches next week” said Azeri captain and setter Natavan Gasimova.
Finland fought bravely in the first set but could not stand the Azeri storm anchored by the 9 aces registered by Odina Aliyeva. Natalya Mammadova top scored for Azerbaijan with 15 points, the same haul amassed by Aliyeva, who added 6 spikes to her aces.
“I think Azerbaijan is more or less already qualified for the final round as in Baku it will be even more difficult to take any set” said Finland’s head coach Tore Aleksandersen.
