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• Magic of “Lucky” numbers?: Year’s “Gold” Day gives Armenia a rare taste of victory in soccer

Bianca But getting on the team increases chances for going abroad. Being an internatinal player is appreciated by many foreign clubs and coaches...

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After more than two years, Armenia have scored their first victory in a competitive soccer match. Incidentally (or not) the rare victory came on a rare day 09/09/09. (The repetition of numbers is viewed by some as lucky. In Armenia many couples were married Wednesday, an unusual weekday occurrence.)

Armenia’s striker Hovhannes Goharyan (in 23rd minute) and veteran defender Sargis Hovsepyan (in 51st minute) scored one goal a half in the Wednesday FIFA World Cup 2010 qualifier against Belgium in Yerevan to give noticeably improved Armenia their first victory since June 6, 2007 when they beat Poland still in the Euro-2008 qualification under Scottish coach Ian Porterfield.

Armenia have changed two coaches since Porterfield’s death in September that year but have been unable to achieve a victory, losing six games and ending one in a draw during the current World Cup 2010 qualification.

The 2-1 victory over Belgium (the Red Devils scored their consolation goal virtually in the dying seconds of the game) was preceded by four days of widespread fan apathy in Armenia after young coach Vardan Minasyan’s charges suffered a home defeat to Bosnia-Herzegovina 0-2. Dismayed at the result last Saturday, large groups of fans at the Republican Stadium then chanted “Disgrace, Disgrace!” and called for the Football Federation president’s resignation, holding him responsible for the poor record and performance of the team. At one point security guards during the Saturday match stepped in to force a large group of fans to stop holding the banner reading: “Stop Disgracing Us!”. That intervention resulted in scuffles between fans and police.

No wonder that many had vowed to boycott the September 9 fixture that initially attracted noticeably fewer spectators than Armenia’s home games usually do. Attendance kept increasing, however, as the “incredible” news of Armenia “finally scoring and showing mature play” was apparently spreading around town.

The latest victory still leaves Armenia at the bottom place in the six-nation qualifying group that also involves Spain, Turkey and Estonia. Armenia’s record in the ongoing campaign stands at one victory, one draw and six defeats.

The team has only one home game left to play this season, against Spain on October 10, before traveling to Turkey for the final qualifier of this campaign on October 14.