Armenia's 2026 World Cup qualifiers: full player stats after four rounds – Spertsyan, Iwu, Zelarayan, and Barseghyan

The Armenian national team has completed the first four rounds of the European qualification for the 2026 World Cup and reached the final autumn break with three points and fourth place in Group F. After the October defeat in Dublin against Ireland (0–1), the team practically lost its chances of finishing second. However, this is a good moment to summarize the interim results and highlight those who have emerged as leaders of the Armenian team at this stage.

How the First Four Rounds Went

Armenia has already played four matches:
• In the first round — a 0–5 defeat against Portugal,
• In the second — a 2–1 victory over Ireland in Yerevan,
• In the third — a 0–2 loss in Budapest against Hungary,
• In the fourth — a narrow 0–1 defeat away to Ireland.

The next matches will take place in November:
• On November 13, Armenia will host Hungary,
• On November 16, the team will play away against Portugal.

After four rounds, Armenia sits 4th in Group F with three points. Theoretically, there is still a chance to finish second, but for that, the team must defeat Hungary at home, then avoid losing to Portugal, and hope for a draw in the Hungary–Ireland match. In practice, however, the fans mainly expect from the team quality play, commitment, and progress.

Player Statistics After Four Rounds

Despite the disappointing results, several players have shown a high level of individual performance. Below is a complete overview of the Armenian national team’s key statistics after four matches.

Goals:
Eduard Spertsyan — 1
Grant-Leon Ranos — 1

Assists:
Nair Tiknizyan — 1

Best average player ratings:
Eduard Spertsyan — 7.1
Ugochukwu Iwu — 6.98
Lucas Zelarayán — 6.83

Shots per match (average):
Tigran Barseghyan — 2.8
Eduard Spertsyan — 1.5
Lucas Zelarayán — 1.5

Shots on target per match:
Tigran Barseghyan — 1.3
Eduard Spertsyan — 0.8
Lucas Zelarayán — 0.5

Missed big chances:
One each — Spertsyan, Ranos, Tiknizyan.

Created big chances:
One each — Spertsyan, Barseghyan, Tiknizyan, Hovhannisyan.

Accurate passes per match:
Eduard Spertsyan — 43.3 (90%)
Sergey Muradyan — 37.8 (85%)
Erik Piloyan — 36.5 (83%)

Key passes:
One each — Spertsyan, Barseghyan, Zelarayán.

Successful dribbles per match:
Eduard Spertsyan — 1 (57%)
Tigran Barseghyan — 1 (44%)
Lucas Zelarayán — 0.8 (38%)
Erik Piloyan — 0.5 (100%)

Tackles per match:
Ugochukwu Iwu — 3
Kamo Hovhannisyan — 2.3
Eduard Spertsyan and Nair Tiknizyan — 1.5 each

Interceptions per match:
Ugochukwu Iwu — 2.5
Sergey Muradyan — 1.3
Kamo Hovhannisyan — 1.3

Clearances per match:
Sergey Muradyan — 7.3
Gevorg Arutyunyan — 7.0
Erik Piloyan — 5.3

Ball losses per match:
Henri Avagyan — 11.7
Lucas Zelarayán — 10.3
Erik Piloyan — 10

Saves per match:
Henri Avagyan — 3.7
Ognjen Čančarević — 3

Yellow cards:
One each — Gevorg Arutyunyan, Erik Piloyan, Kamo Hovhannisyan.

Red cards:
Tigran Barseghyan — 1.

Analysis and Conclusions

Eduard Spertsyan remains the team’s main leader — he drives the team forward, shows consistency, accuracy in passing, and maintains a high performance rating. His influence on the attacking and creative phases is enormous.

Ugochukwu Iwu is a key figure in the holding midfield role, providing balance between attack and defense. He leads in tackles and interceptions, showing great composure in the center of the pitch.

Lucas Zelarayán stands out as a creative attacking player, though his high activity is often accompanied by turnovers — 10.3 per match. Nevertheless, he remains one of the few players capable of shooting from long range.

Tigran Barseghyan, despite being among the most active and prolific shooters, let the team down by receiving a red card in Dublin. He now has to regain the trust of fans and coaches — he will definitely miss the match against Hungary, while his participation against Portugal remains in doubt not only due to coach Yeghishe Melikyan’s decision but also because UEFA may extend his suspension beyond one game.

Nair Tiknizyan has been a reliable performer on the left flank, already recording one assist and showing high intensity both in attack and defense.

Sergey Muradyan and Erik Piloyan deserve praise for their defensive work: their clearances, interceptions, and passing accuracy make them dependable components of the back line. For Erik Piloyan, these four matches were his first as a starter for the national team, and he has made a strong impression.

Goalkeeper Henri Avagyan has been one of the team’s most consistent contributors despite facing heavy pressure. His 3.7 saves per game reflect both the opponents’ frequent attacks and his confidence between the posts. In the match against Ireland, Avagyan was a real hero, making five crucial saves.

Problems and Tasks for November

The main problems of the Armenian national team are poor finishing and defensive instability. The team often creates dangerous moments but fails to convert them into goals. In addition, positional errors and poor transitions from defense to attack frequently lead to loss of concentration and conceded goals.

Discipline is also a concern: Barseghyan’s red card and the accumulation of yellow cards among key players could become costly in decisive matches.

In November, Armenia will have two chances to change the fans’ mood — by defeating Hungary at home and putting up a respectable performance against Portugal. A victory over Hungary would restore confidence and prove that the team is moving in the right direction.

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