In a well-fought Cup competition, Neftchi PFK Baku played at home against Gabala FK on 03 June 2023. Neftchi, with a respectable record at home, found themselves on the losing end with Gabala securing a solid 1-0 win. The single goal by the away team became a conclusive determinant in shaping the game's outcome.

Though the match didn't see an abundance of shots from either team, it saw a reasonable amount of discipline-related interruptions, with both teams receiving two yellow cards each. Particularly notable, these cards occurred within close time frames. Neftchi was first to be cautioned at 39 minutes, 36 seconds into the first half, followed swiftly by Gabala at the 40 minute, 18-second mark. The second half mirrored the disciplinary pattern of the first, as Neftchi received their second yellow card at 1 hour, 1 minute, and 23 seconds, with Gabala following suit less than two minutes later.

Analysing potentially decisive elements, the set plays, notably corner kicks, were dominated by Gabala, recording 7 against Neftchi's mere 2. While set plays resulted in no direct goals, the persistent pressure applied by Gabala's numerous corners likely contributed to their eventual breakthrough.

Offsides were notably infrequent, an interesting reflection on both teams' strategy, possibly focused on defensive line coherence, or indicative of a lack of incisive forward runs. Gabala was called offside once, while Neftchi maintained a clean record, suggesting a more conservative attack approach or well-disciplined forward line.

In conclusion, the game was characterised by equitably distributed discipline between both teams, reflected in the four yellow cards split evenly. However, the significant statistical factor resulting in the game's outcome was Gabala's command of set-pieces, notably corner kicks. Given these aspects, it suggests that while both teams displayed solid discipline and defensive strategies, the ability of Gabala to dominate set plays and apply consistent pressure was a decisive element in their victory.

For future bettors, considering team performance in disciplinary areas, the proficiency of set-play execution and a team's ability to pressure the opponent could be valuable indicators in predicting match outcomes.

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