"We prepared seriously for the cup match," Zira striker Eren Aydin told Offsideplus.az.

The forward, who found the net in the first leg of the Azerbaijan Cup semi-final against Turan Tovuz, shared his thoughts on the team's chances of reaching the final:

"I am happy to have scored. Both teams fought very well. We did our best to achieve a successful result. Although we won 2:0, we understand that it doesn't end here. The second leg is still ahead of us. We want to prepare for the next match in the best possible way and reach the final."

Aydin, who joined Zira in February, emphasized that he has adapted to the team with ease:

"Azerbaijan and Turkey are brotherly countries. I adapted here in a very short time. I feel like I'm in Istanbul. Everyone speaks Turkish, and I can easily communicate with people. I settled into the team very quickly. Head coach Rashad Sadygov also provided great support; we understand each other well. I am grateful to him for his backing. Rashad Sadygov is like a father to me."

The 22-year-old striker is a product of the Galatasaray academy and previously played for Turkish clubs Niğde Anadolu, Sarıyer, Çorum, and Boluspor, as well as Veres in Ukraine.