Historic First in Europe
In 2005 (the 2005–06 season), Karvan IK left a strong mark on Azerbaijani football, finishing second in the Premier League — a key milestone that confirmed the club’s rise as a genuine contender. That runners-up finish earned Karvan a spot in the UEFA Intertoto Cup, where they faced Poland’s Lech Poznań (1–2 at home, 0–2 away), gaining useful European exposure.
The momentum carried into 2006–07, when Karvan cleared a stage in Europe: they defeated Slovakia’s Spartak Trnava 1–0 in both legs to reach the UEFA Cup second qualifying round, becoming the first Azerbaijani club to pass the competition’s first qualifying round. They then met Slavia Praha, losing 0–2 in Baku before a 0–0 draw away.