The long journey almost earned instant reward when Estonia, after just 12 seconds, hit the crossbar through Henri Anier, although the hosts also hit the woodwork later in the first half with a 25-metre free kick from Elvin Jafarquilyev .
Azerbaijan, coached by Fernando Santos, who guided Portugal to Euro 2016 glory, was the better team in the second half with Ozan Kokcu’s shot hitting the post, but neither team could find a winner.
Estonia held on for a draw, a result that ensured they avoided automatic relegation to the bottom tier of the Nations League, and some of the players handed out their shirts to traveling fans.
Corbett said: “Was it worth it? 100%. Estonia’s nerves held up under pressure. The release of tension when the final whistle blew and we knew we were safe from relegation, the players were kind enough to recognize us, the people who I met, the places I saw, the things I learned about Azerbaijan and especially the food I ate.
“These types of experiences, offered by the combination of sport and travel, are priceless for me.”
So is that the end of your adventure? Not quite.
“When searching for cheap flights from Azerbaijan, Budapest came up,” Corbett said.
“Knowing that Hungary borders Slovakia, I couldn’t resist checking if it is feasible to get to the Trnava stadium when Estonia is away on Tuesday.
“Turns out it’s pretty easy by bus… So I’ll be there.”
