The jubilee 30^th season of the Turkmenistan Cup on football has started with the matches in Ashgabat, Mary and Balkanabat.

8 clubs of premier league will contend for the second in order of importance club trophy this year. Three of them – “Altyn Asyr”, “Ashgabat” and “Kopetdag” represent a capital, “Balkan” from Balkanabat and “Shagadam” from Turkmenbashy – Balakn velayat, “Merv” and “Energetik” – Mary velayat, and “Ahal” – Ahal velayat.

According to reports of the Football Federation of Turkmenistan, unlike with the previous tournaments, this year the winners of pairs at all stages will be decided based on the results of one match, and not of two matches.

2021 Turkmenistan Cup has started with the 1/4 matches, where, according to the draw, met: “Nebitchi” – “Altyn asyr”, “Ashgabat” – “Ahal”, “Merv” – “Shagadam” and “Energetik” – “Kopetdag”.

First of them that got through to the semi-final are “Ahal” and “Shagadam”.

The Vice-champion “Ahal” due to double of the captain of the team of Turkmenistan Arslanmurad Amanov (29^th minute – from a penalty and 50^th minute) at the Nisa Stadium won with score 2:1 over “Ashgabat”, its player Rovshen Bayliyev shot a consolation goal in the 56^th minute.

A bronze medalist of last year tournament “Shagadam” won “Merv” in the away game – 3:1. A game was salted away in the first half, when the ball found the host’s net two times. Bayramgeldi Nurliyev, in the 22^nd minute from a penalty, and Kerim Hojaberdyev (31^st minute) were on target. After a half-time the teams traded goals: among the seasiders shined Resul Mahmudov (66^th minute), and among the players from Mary – Serdarali Atayev (79^th minute).

Two other semi-finalists were determined in the penalty shootout. They are the capital’s teams “Kopetdag” and “Altyn Asyr”.

The finalist of the 2020 Turkmenistan Cup – “Kopetdag” played with “Energetik” in Mary. In the 71^st minute Ihlas Saparmamedov putted the gust’s team ahead – 1:0. And four minutes to the end of normal time Muhamed Ishankuliyev made it – 1:1. The players of “Kopetdag” in the penalty shootout more successful were the players of ‘Kopetdag” – 4:3.

This was not a laugher a quarterfinal match for “Altyn Asyr”, a current holder of Turkmenistan Cup. As the game progressed the team of the “Turkmenaragatnashyk” Agency in game Balkanabat against “Nebitchi” after well-placed shots of Begmurad Mayev (12th minite) and Murad Annayev (68^th minute from a penalty) was ahead. But every time the hosts could level. Suleyman Deryayev in the 26^th minute; and Azat Karajayev leveled from a penalty in the 5^th minute of added time to the normal time– 2:2. As a result, the winner was determined in the in the penalty shootout, where more precise were the players of “Altyn Asyr” – 4:3.

In the semi-finals, which will be held on 7 December, “Altyn Asyr” will play with “Ahal”, and “Shagadam” will play with “Kopetdag”. The Turkmenistan Cup will be known on 22 December.

“GA” Correspondent 

 Photo: Football Federation of Turkmenistan