uefa.com, Switzerland
March 8 2007

Pyunik feel heat from chasing pack

Thursday, 8 March 2007
by Khachik Chakhoyan
from Yerevan

The new football season in Armenia is one of the most eagerly
anticipated in years, with FC Pyunik’s monopoly on the crown set to
be challenged.

Curtain raiser
The campaign gets underway on 21 March with the first round of the
Armenian Cup, but it is the fight for the league title that is
causing real interest. Pyunik’s main rivals for the crown will be FC
Banants and FC Ararat Yerevan, as well as five-times Armenian Cup
winners FC MIKA. However, the surprise packages may well be FC
Gandzasar Kapan and FC Shirak, who have aspirations of making the
top-three after seeing six of their former players return to the
club. FC Kilikia and FC Ulis Yerevan have set their ambitions a bit
lower, while newcomers FC Lernayin Artsakh could represent the dark
horses.

New recruits
With Pyunik set to place an emphasis on youth this season, MIKA could
be the team who provide the greatest threat to their hopes of a
seventh successive title. They have bolstered their squad by signing
Brazilians Akleison and Tales, while goalkeeper Feliks Hakobyan gave
them a major boost by extended his contract by three more years.

Strength in depth
Ararat believe they need to strengthen their defence to mount a
challenge and they are scouring the market in Serbia and F.Y.R.
Macedonia to fortify their rearguard. Rivals Banants have largely
opted to sign local talent but they need to find a replacement for
Aram Hakobyan who left for Ukrainian side FC Illychivets Mariupil.
The arrival of Ugandan striker Eugene Sepuya and Egishe Melikyan
should help their chances, though.

Bright future
With all but three teams stating their intention of blooding their
youngsters this season and with all clubs reporting greater financial
stability, the future of football in Armenia looks to be unusually
bright.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress