Azerbaijan arrive in better shape, and Liechtenstein’s travel is the bigger story in Baku on Thursday, 1 October. Aykhan Abbasov’s side drew 1-1 in Lithuania four days earlier, after beating Tajikistan 1-0 in a friendly. Liechtenstein lost 2-0 to Lithuania, then 2-0 to Malta, before taking a charter flight to Baku. Their four-game schedule covers roughly 8,000 flight kilometres, and they have scored nothing in either defeat. Both teams already know promotion is guaranteed, so momentum is the only prize.

Group D2 Standings Before Thursday

Lithuania lead the three-team group with four points, after beating Liechtenstein 2-0 and drawing 1-1 with Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan have one point from one game, and Liechtenstein have none. A home win would lift Azerbaijan to four points, level with Lithuania. That makes Thursday the swing fixture in a short group.

Each side plays four matches, and Azerbaijan and Lithuania both arrived after relegation from League C. Azerbaijan host Lithuania on 4 October, and the return fixture with Liechtenstein is in Vaduz on 13 November. This is Azerbaijan’s first League D campaign since 2018-19.

Azerbaijan vs Liechtenstein UEFA Nations League preparation

Azerbaijan beat Tajikistan 1-0 in a Baku friendly on 23 September, then drew in Kaunas on 27 September. Liechtenstein lost 2-0 to Lithuania in Vaduz on 24 September, lost 2-0 at Malta three days later, then took a charter from Malta to Baku, where they’ve been since 28 September.

Abbasov called this the first time Azerbaijan has played four consecutive games in one window. Liechtenstein’s schedule is heavier in a different way, with the miles rather than the match count doing the damage. The Kaunas round trip is a short hop next to that chain of flights, and the goals column agrees: none scored across two defeats.

Lessons Abbasov Takes From Kaunas

Armandas Kučys scored a ninth-minute penalty, but Mahir Emreli levelled in the 14th minute, finishing left-footed from Tellur Mutallimov’s pass. Possession was 51-49 to Lithuania, shots were nine apiece, and Azerbaijan had the edge on target, four to three, while goalkeeper Emil Balayev made three saves. Those numbers say more than the scoreline, because Azerbaijan matched a side that led early. Rahil Mammadov, Mutallimov and Aleksey Isayev were booked, though Nations League rules only suspend players after two yellows.

Abbasov questioned the penalty, citing a foul on Emil Safarov first. He felt Azerbaijan took control after equalising, said they could have won but not losing mattered too, and promised his players would fight solely for victory against Liechtenstein.

Fünfstück Resets After Back-to-Back Defeats

Konrad Fünfstück made seven changes for the Malta friendly, including starts for Liam Kranz and Alessandro Lo Russo. Captain Nicolas Hasler missed a 13th-minute penalty, and Jake Grech in the 37th minute and Andrea Zammit in the 63rd scored for Malta. Fünfstück offered no criticism of Hasler.

Before the window, he described a week of football that would demand everything from his players, and called Lithuania and Azerbaijan physical, well-organised sides. With a squad of workers and students, he called losing players to jobs a special situation, and said age doesn’t matter to him, only heart and attitude. Rotation on that scale can cost sharpness, and a squad of workers and students has little margin for it.

Selection Calls Both Coaches Face on Thursday

Abbasov has no reported injuries or suspensions, and projected line-ups keep his 3-4-2-1 largely intact, with Emreli, the Kaunas scorer, expected to start. Azerbaijan face Lithuania again three days later, so rotation is a real question.

Fünfstück, whose team hosts Gibraltar in a friendly on 5 October, must choose between the side that faced Lithuania and the rotated Malta group. Jakob Lorenz and Philipp Gassner missed the trip for work, Ferhat Saglam left camp, and Fabio Wolfinger is injured. With promotion guaranteed, this is about momentum, not survival, and the Azerbaijan vs Liechtenstein UEFA Nations League preparation gap favours the hosts: fewer absentees, a settled 3-4-2-1 and a home crowd.

Can Liechtenstein’s travel-weary squad take anything from Baku, or is this a home win by default? Share your prediction below.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What time does the Baku match against Liechtenstein kick off?

Kick-off is at 20:00 Baku time on Thursday, 1 October 2026. That is 18:00 CEST, and the game is at the Tofiq Bahramov Republican Stadium in Baku.

Who is the head coach of the Azerbaijan national team?

Aykhan Abbasov coaches the Azerbaijan national team. His side drew 1-1 in Lithuania on 27 September, four days after beating Tajikistan 1-0 in a Baku friendly.

Has Liechtenstein ever beaten Azerbaijan?

Yes, once, winning 2-1 in October 1998. That was a Euro 2000 qualifier, and Azerbaijan have won three of five senior meetings, drawing one, most recently 1-0 in a February 2013 friendly.

Who else is in Liechtenstein’s Group D2?

Lithuania and Azerbaijan are the other two teams. Lithuania lead the group on four points, Azerbaijan have one, and Liechtenstein have none after their opening 2-0 defeat in Vaduz.

Are all League D teams promoted?

Yes, all six League D teams move up to League C. League D is removed for 2028-29, so promotion is already guaranteed for both sides in Baku, whatever happens on Thursday.