LOCAL BOYS DO GOOD FOR PYUNIK
by Khachik Chakhoyan

UEFA, Switzerland
June 13 2006

After nine rounds of the 2006 Armenian season, FC Pyunik’s new influx
of homegrown talent looks like leading them to a sixth successive
title.

Young recruits
FC Banants and FC MIKA are doing their best to keep up with the
champions, having boosted their squads with plenty of foreign talent,
but for the moment it is Pyunik who are ruling the roost with newcomers
like Hayk Chilingaryan, Norajr Sahakyan and Gevorg Kazaryan showing
plenty of promise.

U21 internationals
That trio of players are the latest crop of graduates from Pyunik’s
academy and are all playing for Armenia’s Under-21 national team.

However, they could not prevent Pyunik from dropping their first
points of the season as they scraped a 2-2 draw against FC Kilikia
on 4 June thanks to Levon Pachajyan’s late goal.

Banants rallying
Pyunik are six points clear of Banants who have made a stirring
recovery after a bad start to the season. With the foreign and local
players starting to gel as a team, they have impressed in recent
rounds, securing a significant 2-1 win against MIKA on 4 June to
secure second place in the table.

MIKA shaky
Armenian Cup holders MIKA are certainly going through a testing time.

That defeat against Banants was followed by a 3-1 defeat against
Pyunik this week. However, they will be hoping that they can restore
some stability before their UEFA Cup campaign starts in the first
qualifying round.

Foreign policy
The signing of Russian attacking midfielder Nikita Fursin on loan
from FC Salyut Belgorod has brought the total number of foreigners in
the Ashtarak side’s squad to seven, and although he found the target
in his first match – a 4-0 win against FC Shirak – MIKA’s polyglot
signing policy has yet to be vindicated.

Ulis victory
Eight points separate the remaining five clubs in the Premier
Division. At the foot of the table, a change of coach has helped
FC Ulis Yerevan pick up their first points of the season as Arsen
Chilingaryan led them to a 2-1 win against Kilikia on 31 May.

FC Ararat Yerevan remain in fourth with new coach Abraham Khashmanyan
leading them to a 3-2 win against Kilikia in his second game in
charge. They are level on points with FC Gandzasar Kapan who, like
Shirak and Kilikia, can be a match for any team in the league on
their day.