Coming off an unpredictable win over Slovakia, 3-1, Armenia entered their 4th round, Euro 2012, Group B Qualification match, against Andorra with confidence.
Andorra, bottom of Group B (comprised of Russia, FYR Macedonia, Republic of Ireland, Slovakia, Andorra, and Armenia), headed into Yerevan with zero points. But a win against Armenia would propel them back into the race for qualification.
As the Armenian national anthem played before the game, the near sold-out crowd sang at the top of their lungs, making Andorra feel their presence and allowing Armenia to feed off their emotions.
Four minutes into the match, Gevorg Ghazarian took the ball just outside of 22 yards, dribbling down the left side. He switched the ball to his stronger right foot, using his defender as a screen, and launched the ball. With a blistering pace and bend, the ball screamed past Andorra’s goalkeeper Sebastian Gomez: 1-0 to Armenia. “That could be the goal of the year, just amazing,” said the announcer. The crowd waved their red, orange, and blue flags with pride and continued singing.
On the field, Armenia kept their foot on the gas pedal, strike after strike on Gomez’s goal. The Azerbaijan born, American raised Yura Movsisyan (who plays his club football for Randers FC in Denmark) became the central force down the middle, which gave his teammates, most notably Marcos Pinheiro Pizelli (Brazilian born, Armenian citizen in 2008) more room to find a second goal.
Eight minutes after the first goal, Henrikh Mkhitaryan made a run down the middle of the field; mid-fielder Edgar Manucharian played him the ball and off Henrikh went to goal. Trying to trick Gomez, he placed the ball over the goalkeeper’s shoulder, but off the post and out, Andorra dodged another bullet.
Two minutes later, Manucharian crossed the ball into the six-yard box, waiting to put the ball in the open net. Movsisyan was ready, but a sliding tackle into the ball by Andorra’s Josep Ayala took the ball away from Movsisyan and just passed the left post of his own net, avoiding the embarrassing own-goal.
The second goal came in the 12th minute. Mkhitaryan, standing in the opposing box, was following the ball with his eyes when it came to him—off of a shot rebound. He put it into the gapping net: 2-0, Armenia.
Armenian President Serge Sarkisian, who was at the game in his Presidential Box, stood on his feet with a big smile and joined in with the fans, clapping his hands the hardest he could. The drums played, the blow-horns sounded, a wave went around the stadium, and the chant of “Go Armenia, go” rang out.
Right before half time, Movsisyan put his name on the score sheet: a cross ball from the right flew through the air, and Movsisyan, swinging his left foot to the side, made perfect contact, putting the ball down on the ground and heading directly for the goal. Beating Gomez, the ball squeezed inside the right post and into the net: 3-0, heading into half time.
By the time Armenia took the field for the second half, no one told them to stop their pressure. First, Pizelli hit the ball off the crossbar from just outside 12 yards. Then, in the 52nd minute, Pizelli came back to try to score again, and this time, he was successful.
An almost mirror image of the first goal, Pizelli came off the right side, ball on his left foot, drew the defender into him, and from 25-yards out, shot the ball like a missile. The ball flew past the goalie, dropping below the crossbar and into the left corner netting.
“That goal could be better than the first,” the announcer pointed out. 4-0 to Armenia, game, set, and match, Armenia.
Armenia’s goalkeeper, Roman Berozovsky, had so little to do, “maybe Armenian officials will ask Berozovsky to pay for a ticket,” said the announcer sarcastically.
The victory gave Armenia three points, and with the Republic of Ireland tying Slovakia 1-1 in Dublin, Armenia ended the day tied for second, seven points out of four games, two points behind Russia (which beat FYR Macedonia earlier the same day).
Most Armenians who don’t follow the global game of soccer might think that this team just came together and clicked, but that would be very wrong. The reason this team is showing their true colors is because of one person: Yura Movsisyan.
The striker, who chose recently to play for Armenia and not America, stabilizes the team. With the scoring falling on his shoulders, this allows Edgar Manucharian to play his position and not worry about scoring. With Manucharian controlling the mid-field and staying healthy, the defense, led by Armenia’s captain, Sargis Hovsepyan, can stop the opposing strikers from getting to their goal without trying to go out of position and leaving the defense weak at the back, on the counter attacks.
When all of this clicks, Armenia has a complete team and their goalkeeper, Berezovsky, can do what he did against Andorra—just sit back and watch his team play, but still be ready for the saves.
Watch out for this team on March 26 when they play Russia for first place in the group and much-needed respect.
Antranig Dereyan
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Antranig:
What do you think the chances of Armenia getting Joaquín Boghossian is? And what impact would he have on the team?
Why even mention Yura Movsesian was born in Azerbaijan, then it was part of Soviet Union.
With him, it is difficult to say because he already has played with Uruguay’s under 20, and since he was born in Uruguay, his roots are there.
However, since being a striker, he has a long line of other players to beat out, Diego Forlan, Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani, just to name a few, before he can crack the first team squad.
Armenia, if they really want to make a run at him, they can try to convince him that he has a better chance of making their first team before Uruguay’s.
He is Armenian by birth parent, so he can play for Armenia without a citizen issue(if he wants, he can apply for Armenian citizenship, as he plays while he plays for The National Team), but, if he ever features for Uruguay’s first team, then, he cannot play for any other national team, so if Armenia wants him, they need to act soon.
As for his impact, Movsisyan can take him under his wing and play off him, but he is still learning the ropes of international play, so, with help from Movsisyan or other elder members of Armenia’s national team, Boghossian can make a big impact on the team’s future, maybe by 2012 or World Cup 2014.
Hope this answers your question, thanks for your support.
Antranig
I mentioned that Movsisyan was born in Azerbaijan because that is where he was born before coming to America under asylum.
Whether of not it was USSR at the time, it was in Baku, which is Azerbaijani land. Which means, by international football law, if he wanted, he could have played for their National Team, and/or America’s national team, but he chose to play for Armenia
Antranig:
We should make some sort of drive to convice the FFA to get Boghossian on the team :)