Shirak II vs Van II Match Recap - Oct 11, 2025

Shirak II Snaps Winless Streak with Crucial Victory Over Basement Rival Van II

In a match between two teams desperately searching for salvation at the bottom of Armenia's First League, Shirak II delivered their most complete performance of the season, dispatching Van II 2-0 on Saturday to climb out of last place and snap a streak of misery that had defined their campaign.

The victory represented more than just three points for Shirak II. It was validation that their recent 4-1 thrashing of Bentonit Ijevan five days earlier wasn't an aberration but perhaps the beginning of a genuine turnaround. After enduring consecutive 5-0 drubbings at the hands of Syunik and suffering through an embarrassing 8-2 defeat to Andranik in late September, Shirak II showed the kind of defensive discipline and clinical finishing that had been absent for much of their troubled autumn.

The hosts seized control early, establishing a rhythm that kept Van II perpetually on their heels. While specific details of the goal scorers remained unavailable, the clean sheet spoke volumes about Shirak II's transformation. This was a team that had conceded an average of three goals per match coming into Saturday's contest, yet they managed to shut out an opponent for only the second time this season.

Van II arrived at the match in equally desperate circumstances, having been eviscerated 6-1 by Banants II in their most recent outing. Their attack, which had managed just 0.4 goals per game across the season, never found its footing. The visitors' inability to convert the few chances they created underscored why they've won just once in ten attempts this campaign.

The symmetry between these two struggling sides made the result all the more significant. Both entered the day with identical records—one win, two draws, and seven losses—and both had collected a meager five points from their opening ten matches. But while the standings may have shown parity on paper, Shirak II demonstrated on the pitch that they possessed the superior quality when it mattered most.

The hosts' second-half insurance goal effectively ended any hope of a Van II comeback. Having secured their lead earlier in the match, Shirak II refused to sit back and invite pressure. Instead, they continued pushing forward, a testament to the confidence that comes from consecutive victories. The aggressive approach paid dividends and ensured Van II remained mired in the relegation zone.

For Van II, the defeat extended a troubling pattern. The club has now lost seven of their ten matches, with their lone victory seemingly a distant memory. Their draw with Mika on October 1st represented one of the few bright spots in an otherwise bleak campaign, but even that modest achievement feels hollow after being thoroughly outplayed by their basement rivals.

The ramifications of Saturday's result ripple through the lower reaches of the First League table. Shirak II's ascent from sixteenth to joint-fifteenth represents tangible progress, even if they remain on equal points with the team they just defeated. More importantly, the psychological boost of back-to-back victories could prove invaluable as the season reaches its critical phase.

Both teams now face a sobering reality: with the calendar turning toward winter, opportunities to escape the relegation battle are dwindling. Shirak II has shown in recent weeks that they possess the ability to compete when their defensive structure holds firm and they capitalize on chances. Their previous struggles often stemmed from defensive collapses that made winning impossible, regardless of their offensive output.

Van II, meanwhile, must confront deeper issues. Their attack has been toothless throughout the campaign, scoring in just 40 percent of their matches. Even when they've managed to find the net, they've rarely done so with enough frequency to overcome their defensive shortcomings. The path forward requires not just improvement but wholesale transformation.

As both clubs regroup before their next fixtures, Saturday's match will be remembered differently by each side. For Shirak II, it represented confirmation that their recent revival has legs. For Van II, it was another painful reminder that the bottom of the table is a difficult place to escape when results refuse to materialize.