Armenian footballer signs contract with Portuguese club

YEREVAN, JULY 20, ARMENPRESS: The member of the Armenian national football team Gevorg Ghazaryan has joined the Portuguese club Maritimo. The Armenian midfielder joined the team as a free agent and signed a contract for three years. This Portuguese team is on the 9th horizontal with 44 points after holding 34 matches.

Armenpress reports that the Facebook page of the Bucket Group Sports Management informed about it.

By now Ghazaryan played in the Greek Olympiacos and Kerkyra clubs.

Gevorg Ghazaryan, born 5 April 1988, is an Armenianfootballplayer who plays as anattacking midfielderbut can playup frontas well. He currently plays for theArmenian national team. Ghazaryan has participated in 44 international matches, scoring nine goals since his debut on 14 January 2007. He previously played forPyunik F.C.and the youth systems of Pyunik. Ghazaryan is one of the youth talents ofArmenia.

In the2004 Armenian Premier Leagueseason, Ghazaryan played for the youth teamFC Pyunik, performing in the First League. For the next season, he debuted in the senior first team. On 6 July 2005, Ghazaryan came to theLernagorts Stadiumagainst the same command, replacing in the half-time interval withAghvan Mkrtchyan. His first goal for the club happened the following season. On 24 May 2006, in a game againstShirak FC, Ghazaryan entered the field at the 55th minute of the match and, after five minutes, scored his first goal. In the same match, he scored his second goal, having issued such a double (the match ended with the score 7–0).

In 2007, Ghazaryan played in Pyunik for the first round of theArmenian Premier League, then went on loan toFC Banantsfor the interests of the Armenian youth team. In the first game, Ghazaryan scored a hat-trick. Having played in the second round for Banants, he then returned to Pyunik. Every year that progresses, they see the potential and improve their skills. In 2010, Ghazaryan reached a new, higher support height of his experience. This season, he accounted two hat-tricks and scored twice in the 2010 Armenia Cup final. While Ghazaryan played for Pyunik, the club won the2006 Armenian Premier League,2007 Armenian Premier League,2008 Armenian Premier League,2009 Armenian Premier Leagueand2010 Armenian Premier League, the2009 Armenian Cupand2010 Armenian Cupand the 2006Armenian Supercup, 2007 Armenian Supercup and 2009 Armenian Supercup.

On 10 January 2011, it was reported that Ghazaryan went to the preseason camp withFC Kuban Krasnodar.

In June 2011, he signed a contract with Metalurh Donetsk, along with Pyunik teammateMarcos Pizzelli.

On 19 July 2012 in the Europa League soccer match againstFK Čelik Nikšić, Ghazaryan made his first hat-trick for Metalurh and gave one assist, thus the Ukrainian club won 7–0. Armenian international midfielder Gevorg Ghazaryan on 26 November 2013 signed a two-year contract withFC Shakhter Karagandy, as various sources said. The 25-year-old midfielder was playing on a loan atFC Shakhter Karagandy. The Armenian international moved to the club this summer. Earlier this monthFC Shakhter Karagandywon the Cup of Kazakhstan. He was among the key players as his club made Europe remember its name after an unexpected victory overCelticin the qualifying round ofChampions Leagueplay-off.

On 15 January 2014, as various sources said, Armenian national squad’s midfielder Gevorg Ghazaryan will joinFC Kairat Almaty.The contract will be signed if the sides reach agreement. In January Ghazaryan tried out atEintracht Braunschweigbut the club wanted to sign him free of charge.In December it was reported that Ghazaryan cannot reach a deal withFC Shakhter Karagandyas the club was not ready to pay the previously agreed amount.Eventually, he finished the 2013/14 season withMetalurh Donetsk.

Ghazaryan continued his career inGreek Super Leagueby signing for an undisclosed fee a two-year contract with Greek championsOlympiacos, while according to reports percentage of a possible resale lies to his agentMino Raiola. On the 30 January 2015, Olympiacos announced the termination of Ghazaryan's contract after half a year at the Piraeus club.

Ghazaryan debuted in theArmenia U-21youth team in the qualifying match againstSan Marinoheld on 17 May 2006. In the 63rd minute of the match, the 18-year-old Ghazaryan replacedArmen Tigranyan. This junior match is remembered by many. Having originally won 2–1, it turned out that the Armenian team played an ineligible player. This was followed by regular technical defeat; 0–3. But in the second leg, the youth team won 4–0 and advanced to the next round. One of the goals in the 66th minute was scored by Ghazaryan, opening his account for the youth team goals.

In 2007, he was called up to the seniorArmenian national team. In the same year, on 22 August, Ghazaryan debuted in a match againstPortugal. This match was a qualifier forUEFA Euro 2008. The match was held inYerevan Republican Stadiumand ended a sensational draw – 1–1. Moreover, the Portuguese team had to recoup. Ghazaryan came off the bench for 58 minutes, replacingHamlet Mkhitaryan.Ghazaryan scored five goals at theUEFA Euro 2012qualifying stage. He was only outscored in Group B by teammateHenrikh Mkhitaryanand was among the top goalscorers in the qualifying stage.

On 11 September 2012, in a2014 FIFA World Cupqualifier match between the national teams of Armenia andBulgaria, Ghazaryan wassent offfor hitting the ball on a servingballboy.