Böyük Oyun

Böyük Oyun (The Great Game) is an Azerbaijani football rivalry between Neftçi Baku and Khazar Lankaran. The fixture had developed into an intense and often bitter one, traditionally attracting large attendances.[1][2] The tie was played out at numerous venues across the cities, with Khazar Lankaran Central Stadium being the stadium most synonymous with the fixture, having hosted more games than any other.

Böyük Oyun
The Great Game
Other namesNeftchi Baku vs Khazar Lankaran
LocationBaku / Lankaran, Azerbaijan
TeamsNeftchi Baku
Khazar Lankaran
First meeting8 December 2004
Latest meetingKhazar Lankaran 0-1 Neftchi (10 April 2016)
Statistics
Most winsNeftchi Baku (16)

History
Khazar Lankaran fans.
Neftçi fans.

Cultural rivalry
Locations of the two teams

The clubs have large support bases around Baku, but also have supporters clubs in most towns throughout Azerbaijan. The relationship between the two clubs has always been known for its great animosity, as the classic opposes two geographic regions - with Neftchi and Khazar Lankaran representing the north and south of Azerbaijan, respectively.[3][4][5]

Football rivalry

The first game played between the two sides was an Azerbaijan Premier League fixture on Wednesday, 8 December 2004. The game, staged at Lankaran City stadium, finished 1–1 draw.[6] Both clubs compete each other for the title of the most successful football club in the country.

The Great Game Marathon

In 2011, the derby reached its ultimate peak as both clubs had to play each other 4 times during 33 days, after Azerbaijan Cup draws and Azerbaijan Premier League format changes.[7][8] Khazar once became triumphant over Neftchi, even though all other remaining games ended in draw.[9]

Unbeaten series of Khazar Lankaran

Khazar Lankaran has the longest unbeaten series in Great Games. Last time Lankaran side lost to Neftchi on 12 April 2009 (2:1). After that date 11 games have been played between both teams in all competitions. In three of last eleven encounters Khazar Lankaran beat their rival and other matches finished with draw.

On 6 November 2011, Neftchi broke Khazar's 938 days of unbeaten run and recorded the biggest win in derby, by beating Khazar 5–0 in Baku.[10]

Current issues

The rivalry intensified in 2013 due to the final of the Azerbaijan Cup.[11] Several accusations of unsportsmanlike behaviour from both teams and a war of words erupted throughout the fixtures which included post-match fight between fans and players.[12][13]

Supporters rivalry

The rivalry turned bitter after Neftchi won Azerbaijan Premier League title by beating Khazar Lankaran in play off match. Over time, the rivalry became more heated and club fans began attaining collective identities. Neftchi was seen as a capital club, while Khazar was viewed as regional club and supported by the south regions of Azerbaijani society.[14][15]

Crowd attendances for first 21 games, has exceeded 229,000 supporters.[16]

All-time results

League

Khazar Lankaran vs Neftchi Baku Neftchi Baku vs Khazar Lankaran
Season Division Date Venue Score Attendance Date Venue Score Attendance
2004-05 Top League 08.12.2004 Lankaran City Stadium 1 – 1 11.05.2005 Tofik Bakhramov Stadium 2 – 1
Championship Play-off To determine League winner (Played at neutral venue): 10.06.2005 Ganja City Stadium 2 – 1 25,000
2005-06 Top League 18.12.2005 Lankaran City Stadium 0 – 1 30.05.2006 Tofik Bakhramov Stadium 2 – 2
2006-07 Top League 11.08.2006 Lankaran City Stadium 2 – 1 16.02.2007 Tofik Bakhramov Stadium 1 – 0
2007-08 Premier League 10.11.2007 Lankaran City Stadium 0 – 1 11.05.2008 Tofik Bakhramov Stadium 0 – 1
2008-09 Premier League 19.10.2008 Lankaran City Stadium 2 – 0 12.04.2009 Tofik Bakhramov Stadium 2 – 1
2009-10 Premier League 08.11.2009 Lankaran City Stadium 0 – 0 12,000 17.02.2010 Tofik Bakhramov Stadium 0 – 0 3,000
Championship Group 27.03.2010 Lankaran City Stadium 0 – 0 14,000 01.05.2010 Tofik Bakhramov Stadium 0 – 0 4,000
2010-11 Premier League 25.09.2010 Lankaran City Stadium 1 – 0 11,000 13.02.2011 Tofik Bakhramov Stadium 0 – 0 2,500
Championship Group 18.03.2011 Lankaran City Stadium 1 – 1 15,000 18.05.2011 Tofik Bakhramov Stadium 1 – 1 7,500
2011-12 Premier League 10.09.2011 Lankaran City Stadium 1 – 0 14,000 06.11.2011 Ismat Gayibov Stadium 5 – 0 2,500
Championship Group 22.04.2012 Lankaran City Stadium 1 – 0 1,200 24.03.2012 Ismat Gayibov Stadium 1 – 1 4,500
2012-13 Premier League 14.12.2012 Lankaran City Stadium 2 – 1 9,500 15.09.2012 Ismat Gayibov Stadium 2 – 1 4,500
2013-14 Premier League 25.08.2013 Lankaran City Stadium 0 – 0 10,000 02.11.2013 Bakcell Arena 4 – 1 2,000
09.02.2014 Lankaran City Stadium 2 – 2 11,000 29.03.2014 Bakcell Arena 1 – 0 4,000
2014-15 Premier League 24.11.2014 Dalga Arena 2 – 2 1,200 13.09.2014 Ismat Gayibov Stadium 1 – 0 2,000
09.04.2015 Lankaran City Stadium 2 – 2 4,500 11.02.2015 Bakcell Arena 2 – 0 2,000
2015-16 Premier League 22.11.2015 Lankaran City Stadium 0 – 2 9,000 20.09.2015 Bakcell Arena 1 – 1 1,500
10.04.2016 Lankaran City Stadium 0 – 1 3,500 13.02.2016 Bakcell Arena 1 – 0 2,500

Cup

Season Competition Round Date Stadium Home team Score Away team Attendance Notes
2010–11CupQuarter Final Leg 103.03.2011Tofik Bakhramov StadiumNeftchi Baku3 – 4Khazar Lankaran5,000Khazar progressed 5 – 4 on aggregate
Quarter Final Leg 208.03.2011Lankaran City StadiumKhazar Lankaran1 – 1Neftchi Baku15,000
2012–13CupFinal28.05.2013Tofik Bakhramov StadiumNeftchi Baku0 – 0Khazar Lankaran20,000Neftchi won 5 – 3 on penalties
2013–14SuperCupSupercup23.10.2013Nakhchivan City StadiumNeftchi Baku1 – 2Khazar Lankaran9,800
2015–16CupQuarter Final Leg 102.03.2016Lankaran City StadiumKhazar Lankaran3 – 2Neftchi Baku4,500Neftchi progressed 4 – 3 on aggregate
Quarter Final Leg 209.03.2016Bakcell ArenaNeftchi Baku2 – 0Khazar Lankaran2,500

Statistics

Head to head record
Competition Played Neftchi Baku Draw Khazar Lankaran
Azerbaijan Premier League 37 15 15 7
Azerbaijan Cup 5 1 2 2
Azerbaijan Supercup 1 0 0 1
Totals 43 16 17 10

Note: League championship statistics includes play-off match for the 2004–05 title, which Neftchi won 2–1.

Statistics obtained from Apasport[17]

Highest attendance
Attendance Records[18][19]
RankAttendanceDateGameStadium
1 26,12010 June 2005Neftchi Baku – Khazar LankaranGanja City Stadium
2 20,00028 May 2013Neftchi Baku – Khazar LankaranTofiq Bahramov Stadium

Highest goalscorers
Flavinho is the highest goalscorer of the derby.
Top Ten Highest Goalscorers[17]
Player Period [20] Club [21] Goals
1 Brazil Flavinho 2010 – present Neftchi 7
2 Azerbaijan Zaur Tagizade 2004–10 Neftchi 4
2 Sierra Leone Julius Wobay 2011 Khazar 4
3 Uzbekistan Bahodir Nasimov 2010 – 2014 Neftchi 3
4 Costa Rica Winston Parks 2010–11 Khazar 2
4 Azerbaijan Rashad Abdullayev 2004–09 Khazar 2
4 Azerbaijan Zaur Ramazanov 2005–08 Khazar 2
4 Chile Nicolás Canales 2012–13 Neftchi 2
4 Bulgaria Svetoslav Petrov 2006–09 Neftchi 2

Switching sides

(In bold: Transfer between both clubs)

Players

Transfers between both clubs are rare, only few in last decade.

Player Khazar Lankaran career Neftçi career
Span League
apps		 League
goals		 Span League
apps		 League
goals
Azerbaijan Rashad Abdullayev 2004–2009 116 12 2009–2012 86 16
Azerbaijan Ruslan Abışov 2012–2013 17 1 2006–2012
2017–2019		 116
39		 8
6
Azerbaijan Emin Quliyev 2005–2009 70 10 2002
2004–2005		 16
33		 2
5
Azerbaijan Mahmud Qurbanov 2005–2007 49 3 1996–1997
2004–2005		 23
36		 3
3
Azerbaijan Branimir Subašić 2011–2013 43 9 2005–2008 65 31
Sierra Leone Julius Wobay 2011 19 5 2012–2015 58 15

Managers

See also

References
  1. Рашад Абдуллаев перешел в "Нефтчи". Zerkalo.az (in Russian). 2009-07-01. Archived from the original on 2011-07-06. Retrieved 2009-02-16.
  2. Тихон Шишов: Если я завоюю титул с «Хазар-Лянкяраном» Archived July 6, 2011, at the Wayback Machine (in Russian)
  3. Раиль МЕЛИКОВ: «Это главное дерби Азербайджана и его невозможно сравнить с другим матчем» Archived 2009-10-01 at the Wayback Machine (in Russian)
  4. 50 saat qalmış Archived 2009-09-11 at the Wayback Machine (in Azerbaijani)
  5. Ağasəlim Mircavadov :“Neftçi” - “Xəzər-Lənkəran” matçı azarkeşlərə xoş təsir bağışladı." (in Azerbaijani)
  6. Derbini indiydək neçə azarkeş izləyib? (in Azerbaijani)
  7. "Марафон Большой Игры: четыре матча за 33 дня". Azerisport.com. Retrieved 6 February 2011.
  8. "Ramin Musayev: "Milli komandanı nəzərə almalıyıq"". Qol.az. Archived from the original on 8 March 2012. Retrieved 6 February 2011.
  9. "Хазар спасся от позора на родном поле". Azerifootball.com. Retrieved 18 March 2011.
  10. ""Neftçi"nin intiqamı ağır oldu". fanat.az (in Azerbaijani). Retrieved 6 November 2011.
  11. Fataliyev, Rustam. Большой позор большой игры. Zerkalo.az (in Russian). Archived from the original on 5 May 2015. Retrieved 26 August 2013.
  12. "ŞOK! Lənkəranda vəziyyət pik həddə çatıb". Futbolpress.az (in Azerbaijani). 7 February 2012. Retrieved 26 August 2013.
  13. ""Neftçi"nin futbolçuları "Xəzər Lənkəran"ın soyunub-geyinmə otağında qorunur". Sportal.az (in Azerbaijani). Retrieved 26 August 2013.
  14. Paytaxt təmsilçilərinin manevr şansı qalıbmı? Archived July 6, 2011, at the Wayback Machine (in Azerbaijani)
  15. Тринадцатое противостояние (in Russian)
  16. ""Böyük oyun": Derbidə azarkeş sayı". fanat.az (in Azerbaijani). Retrieved 8 September 2011.
  17. ""Neftçi"nin Lənkərandakı 6 illik həsrəti". Apasport.az (in Azerbaijani). Archived from the original on 11 December 2013. Retrieved 23 August 2013.
  18. ""Xəzər Lənkəran": Yerlilər "qızıl", əcnəbilər "qara" tarix!". Sportinfo.az (in Azerbaijani). Archived from the original on 12 December 2013. Retrieved 26 August 2013.
  19. Atayev, Oktay. "Нефтчи" выиграл кубок. Uefa.com (in Russian). UEFA. Retrieved 26 August 2013.
  20. period for the club
  21. where player shot the most goals
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