Following a 3-2 defeat to Zirə in the 9th round of the Misli Premier League, Sumgait's head coach Filipe Kandido attended the post-match press conference.

The Portuguese specialist first shared his impressions of the match:

"It was an embarrassing result for us. My team deserved more than this. We didn’t start the game well and made unnecessary mistakes. After going 0-2 down, I was pleased with the character my players showed. I believed we could turn the game around. Although we scored two goals after the break, only one was counted. My players are undoubtedly capable of achieving more. I believe we will perform successfully against the league's top teams in the future."

Kandido also addressed the lack of a striker in the team:

"We tried Nihad in this position. Although his physical attributes do not fully match the classic 'number 9' profile, he fought very well today. The absence of our two forwards makes things difficult for us."

The head coach shared his thoughts on upcoming matches and the league table:

"I believe there are no easy opponents in the league. The most important match for us is always the next one. Right now, I’m not focusing on the league table; we are preparing for each game individually."

When asked about refereeing decisions, the 46-year-old coach spoke cautiously:

"In principle, I don’t like to talk about referees. It’s difficult for them to make decisions on the pitch as well. However, they now have better resources - the VAR system. They made their decisions, but my team did not lose spirit."

Finally, Kandido spoke fondly of Vəli Qasımov, with whom he played at Vitoriya Setubal:

"Vəli Qasımov is one of the best footballers I have ever seen. He is not only an excellent forward but also a great person. I hold our personal relationship in high regard. Although we can’t meet often, we keep in touch regularly by phone. I have learned a lot from him. When we played together, I was 18-19, and he was over 30."