SPORTS
AZERBAIJANI HOCKEY PLAYERS LEFT FOR ITALY
Azerbaijan national women’s field hockey team headed for Italy April 19 to play world championship qualification matches. The national team led by senior coach Adil Pashayev comprises goalkeepers - Tatiana Fomina, Victoria Shahbazova, defenders - Firuze Makayeva, Tatiana Shukurova, Nazire Hidayetova, Ludmila Chegurko, Natalia Sibirova, Amina Muzaffarova, midfielders - Dilfuze Mirzaliyeva, Inna Jafarova, Liana Nuriyeva, Marina Aliyeva, Gulnare Mikayilova, Khatire Aliyeva, forwards - Zeynab Nuriyeva, Zarife Zeynalova and Mahire Ahmedova.
The qualifiers are due to be played from April 25 to May 6 in Rome. In the competition, 12 teams will be competing in two pools. Azerbaijan is drawn in pool B with Ireland, New Zealand, USA, Democratic People's Republic of Korea and Italy. The national team will first face New Zealand on April 25.
Top two teams in each group automatically cruise into the final while third and fourth-placed teams will have to clash in playoffs to book the fifth place in the final.