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• Football: Armenia earn skipper’s praise despite dropping opening qualifier

Congratulations to the 'Boys in Green', Better luck to Armenia in the upcoming match against Macedonia. Go Armenia....

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Vardan Minasyan’s charges looked an equal or sometimes even a better side at Vazgen Sargsyan Republican Stadium, hosting the Boys in Green in front of some 9,000 spectators (including scores of Irish supporters) in an arena that has a capacity of 16,000.

Statistically, Armenia made more shots on goal, committed fewer fouls and earned more corners. Yet, the home team squandered several good chances throughout the tense match and let the visitors score a late goal.

American-raised striker Yura Movsisyan made good moves in attack play on his first competitive debut for Armenia, including two powerful shots from long and close range that went inches wide of the Shay Given goal.

Armenia’s rising star Henrikh Mkhitaryan, who signed for a top Ukrainian club, Shakhtar Donetsk, in a 6-million-euro (about $7.5 million) move last month, looked solid as an attacking midfielder and was setting the team’s pace near and inside the Irish penalty area.

Levon Pachajyan, Edgar Malakyan and others also kept pressure on the visiting side throughout the pitch.

Veteran goalkeeper Roman Berezovsky made good saves and kept the Armenia goal intact after several inroads made by Rep. of Ireland veteran striker Robbie Keane. The 36-year-old goalkeeper got a little help from his left post on one such occasion.

Armenia kept creating chances, not least due to second-half substitute Edgar Manucharyan, even after conceding Keith Fahey’s 76th-minute goal that eventually earned the visitors three points from the Yerevan contest.

Minasyan, who was on his debut as Armenia’s full-time head coach in a competitive match, said his team deserved at least a draw.

“The boys played with their full strength. We lost, but showed some good and praiseworthy play. I’m satisfied with the quality of our play,” said the Armenia coach at a press conference after the match.

“I’m sure the footballers themselves also felt that they were playing well,” he added.

Minasyan has said that team building still remains his immediate task and that sometimes he is more concerned with getting good teamwork and play rather than achieving results.

Armenia’s next scheduled game in Euro-2012 qualifying Group B is against Macedonia in Skopje on September 7.

In their opening match on Friday, Macedonia lost to Slovakia 0-1.

Also on the first day of play, Russia beat the six-nation group’s underdog Andorra 2-0.