The footballers of "Arkadag" have taken an important step toward reaching the knockout stage of the AFC Champions League Two by securing their second victory in Group "B." In the framework of the 4th round, the reigning champion of Turkmenistan defeated Iran's "Golgohar Sirjan" – 1:0.
The match took place in the city of Arkadag at the packed stadium of the same name, which holds 10,000 spectators. The winning goal for the Turkmen club was scored in the 77th minute by team captain Ahmet Atayev. The match was officiated by a refereeing team led by FIFA referee Razlan Joffri Bin Ali from Malaysia.
From the very start of the match, Vladimir Bayramov's charges, with active support from the stands, rushed into attack, and already in the 4th minute Resul Hojayev struck the first shot over the goal. The visitors responded in the 19th minute with a dangerous foray by Omid Alishah, but the hosts' goalkeeper Kakageldi Berdiyev saved his team with a spectacular dive. Soon "Arkadag" created two sharp chances: after a corner by Yazgylych Gurbanov, the same Hojayev headed the ball along the goal, and just before the break his shot went very close to the top corner.
In the second half, the Turkmen club's pressure continued. In the 56th minute, "Golgohar Sirjan" goalkeeper Farzin Garousian saved the Iranians after a shot by Dayanch Meredov, a little later Alireza Alizadeh blocked the midfielder's follow-up attempt, and in the 64th minute Resul Hojayev hit the crossbar from close range.
The denouement came in the 77th minute: after a cross from Arzuvguly Sapargulyyev, the visitors' defenders cleared the ball poorly, Shanazar Tirkishov laid it off for Ahmet Atayev to strike, and the "Arkadag" captain sent the ball into the net with a powerful left-footed shot from inside the penalty area. In the 84th minute, Sapargulyyev could have doubled the lead, but Garousian parried the ball with his legs. The result – a narrow but fully deserved victory for the Turkmen club.
The opponent of the Turkmen team – Iran's "Golgohar Sirjan" from Sirjan, representing a large mining company – is having an extremely unsuccessful debut season in the AFC Champions League Two. The team occupies 10th place in the Iranian championship and sits at the bottom of the Group "B" standings with 2 points, and due to the situation in the region is forced to play its home matches in Tajikistan's Gissar. There the Iranians previously drew 0:0 with the UAE's "Al-Jazira" and with "Arkadag."
In parallel, in Bahrain's Riffa, "Al-Jazira" thrashed the local "Al-Muharraq" 3:0 at the National Stadium in the presence of 3,167 spectators. All goals, under the officiating of Japan's Ryo Tanimoto, were scored in the second half – Vinicius Melo (63rd minute), Bruno de Oliveira (69th) and Igor Serrote (90+4) stood out.
Earlier, "Arkadag" had already beaten Bahrain's "Al-Muharraq" 1:0 at home. Thanks to the new victory, the Turkmen club has earned 7 points and consolidated its second position in Group "B," ahead of "Al-Muharraq" (3 points) and "Golgohar Sirjan" (2 points). "Al-Jazira" (10 points) tops the table, having already secured its place in the round of 16.
Vladimir Bayramov's team will contest the second ticket to the knockout stage in the final rounds: on 25 November, "Arkadag" will play away against "Al-Muharraq," and on 9 December will host "Al-Jazira" at home.
The round of 16 matches will take place from 9 to 18 February 2027.
