AccessBank supported AFFA in organizing the second Caspian Cup international football tournament for under-17.

Baku, Finance Time. AccessBank provided support to the Azerbaijan Federation of Football Associations (AFFA) for the organization of the second international Caspian Cup football tournament, held from June 11-16, for boys under 17.

The national teams of eight countries participated in the competition, including Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Lithuania and Kyrgyzstan in the “A” group while Georgia, Uzbekistan, Turkey and Japan competed in the “B” group. The matches were held in two stadiums, the “Dalga-Arena” and “AZAL-Arena”.

On the last day of the tournament the national teams of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan competed for the 3rd place. The allotted game-time ended with a score of 2-2 and Uzbekistan won the bronze medal on penaltiest.

The final match was held between the national teams of Azerbaijan and Georgia. The only goal in the march was shot by Georgia’s Revaz Baramidze, in the 72nd minute, winning the gold medal for Georgia and leaving Azerbaijan with silver.

At the end of the tournament awards were presented for the best players of the tournament: Best Goalkeeper – Teimosi Shiraoka (Japan), Best Goal Scorer – Ibrahim Aripov with 5 goals (Kazakhstan), the Best Player – Luka Zarandia (Georgia) and the award for Fair Play went to the Turkish National Team. Fahmin Muradbeyli (Azerbaijan) also was specially awarded by AccessBank as the Best Player.

General Manager of AccessBank, Dr. Andrew Pospielovsky, commenting the results of the tournament said “The boys provided some very exciting football. I congratulate the Georgian team with their victory and the Azerbaijan team with their silver medals. I am sure we will be seeing many of these players again in the future.”

Since April 2010 AccessBank has been a general sponsor of AFFA and Azerbaijan’s national men’s and women’s football teams, including the national indoor, youth and beach football teams. The Bank actively supports AFFA’s development of football and sports participation in Azerbaijan.

AccessBank was established to provide access to financial services for Azerbaijan’s micro and small businesses and low and middle income households. AccessBank is recognized as the most reliable bank in Azerbaijan by Fitch International Ratings ('BB+ Outlook Stable’), and as “The best bank in Azerbaijan” by Global Finance (2011) and Euromoney (2010 & 2011) in their annual awards as well as “The Bank of the Year” by The Banker (2011). AccessBank is 100% foreign owned by six shareholders, consisting of: the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development, the International Finance Corporation, the Black Sea Trade and Development Bank, KfW Development Bank – the Development Bank of the German Government (20% per each), Access Microfinance Holding acting in microfinance field as a strategic investor (16.5%), and LFS Financial Systems GmbH – a German consulting company (3.5%).