The 16th round of the Turkmenistan Football Championship turned out to be rich in the derby, which started with three matches in Mary, Ashgabat and Balkanabat.
In the Mary derby, Energetik and Merv clashed for the third time this season. The previous two matches ended with the victory of «Merv»: 2:1 - in the first round and 1:0 - in the second. It is noteworthy that all three goals of the winners in these fights were scored by Alibek Abdyrahmanov.
In the third derby, «Energetik» gave a fight, taking revenge with a score of 1:0. Musa Nurnazarov scored the winning goal in the 82nd minute.
A similar story has developed this year in the history of meetings between two teams from the capital - "Ashgabat" and «Kopetdag». In the first round, «Kopetdag» pulled out a strong-willed victory in the last minutes - 2:1, and in the second round they confidently beat with a score of 2:0 thanks to the efforts of Begench Akmammedov, who scored twice in each match.
The third Ashgabat derby at first was also successful for the team of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Turkmenistan. Thanks to another double by Begench Akmammedov (16th and 19th minutes), «Kopetdag» took the lead 2-0. However, he could not keep the advantage. Before the break, «Ashgabat» won back both goals, and after the break, «Kopetdag» scored two more goals. Dovran Berdiyev scored a double for the hosts (36th and 52nd minutes), Toymammet Sahetmammedov scored one goal (45+2). Two more goals in this match were scored by «Kopetdag» player Batyrgylych Berdiyev. First, in the 62nd minute, he hit the goal of his team, and then in the 75th minute he scored in the opposite.
Having gained a strong-willed victory - 4:3, «Ashgabat» remained in the 6th position, maintaining a lead of 4 points from the following «Energetik».
In the Balkan derby in Balkanabat, «Nebitchi» and Turkmenbashi's «Shagadam» met for the third time in the current championship. In the previous two matches, «Shagadam» was successful - 1:0 and 6:1.
The team from the shores of the Caspian turned out to be stronger this time too, having taken the upper hand - 4:2. The winners scored Yhlas Magtymov (12th minute) and Kerim Hojaberdiyev, who scored a hat-trick (21st, 39th and 80th). Arslan Yollyyev (14th) and Maksat Chagbaliyev (79th) scored one goal each. Finished the game «Nebitchi» in the minority due to the removal of Muhammet Annayev in the 72nd minute.
After this victory, «Shagadam» with 22 points came close to the fourth-placed «Merv», ahead of the Primorskiy team by 1 point. The third position with 25 points is held by «Kopetdag».
And the first two places are occupied by «Ahal» (41 points) and «Altyn Asyr» (34 points), the match between which will end the 16th round. This will be the third match of the leaders this season. The meeting of the first round ended in a draw - 1:1, and in the game of the second round «Ahal» won - 2:1.
