Armenia 2021
The “Ararat” football team of Yerevan was created in 1935 (in 1935-1937 and 1954-1962 the team was called “Spartak”, in 1937-1954 – “Dynamo”, and starting 1963 – “Ararat”). The team participated in a great number of All-Union and international football matches.
1973 was stellar for “Ararat”. It was when the team led by the coach Nikita Simonyan won both the USSR Cup and the title of the USSR Champion.
On October 10, 1973 “Ararat” defeated Dynamo Kiev 2:1 in the final game of the USSR Football Cup in Moscow and won the Cup. It was Levon Ishtoyan, the forward of the team, who scored the two winning goals.
Days after the victory, there was another match between “Ararat” and “Zenith” of Leningrad taking place at the stadium “Hrazdan” in Yerevan, where thanks to the spectacular goals of Hovhannes Zanazanyan, the captain of “Ararat”, and Eduard Margarov “Ararat” won the game 3:2 and took the title of the USSR Champion, thus making a golden double.
The double achievement of “Ararat” called as “Armenian football boom” became one of the bright pages of the Soviet sports. The leading team of Armenia rose atop the pedestal of honor due to excellent physical training of the players, sportsmanship, technical mastery, high morale, strong will and team spirit.
Even today - 50 years later - the excitement of the glorious victory of “Ararat-73” has not faded in the memories of Armenian football fans.
In 2013 twelve veterans of “Ararat-73” were awarded the 1st degree medal “For Services to the Homeland” for their significant contribution to the development of Armenian football and brilliant sport achievements.
A monument immortalizing the victories of “Ararat-73” (sculptor: V. Hambardzumyan, 2013) is installed in Agarak village of Aragatsotn region; a statuary to the players and coaches of the team embellishes the place adjacent to the stadium “Hrazdan” in Yerevan (author: T. Barseghyan; head of the sculptors’ group: A. Samvelyan, 2016).
Obverse: the “Ararat” football team emblem (1973).
Reverse: the USSR Cup, Medal of the USSR Top League Champion (1973).
