Football players of the national team of Turkmenistan beat the team of Bangladesh - 2: 1 at the ongoing qualifying tournament of the Asian Cup-2023 in Malaysia in group "E". The game was played in Kuala Lumpur at the Bukit Jalil Stadium in front of 5598 spectators. The victory for Turkmenistan was provided by Altymurad Annadurdyev (7th minute) and Arslanmurad Amanov (77th). The losers scored Mohammed Ibrahim (12th).
Both teams had an unsuccessful start in the tournament: in the first round, the Turkmen team lost 1:3 to Malaysia - 1:3, and the Bangladeshis lost - 1:2 to Bahrain. And therefore, the upcoming match, which for Turkmenistan and Bangladesh was the first in the history of meetings at the level of national teams, was of great importance.
With the starting whistle of the referee Clifford Dyapuyat from the Philippines, the Turkmen football players seized the initiative and could open the score already in the 1st minute. After Elman Tagaev gave a corner, the captain of the team Akhmed Ataev hit the rally under the crossbar, but the ball flew just above the gate.
The third corner in the 7th minute was still a success. From the right edge of the attack, Rovshangeldy Khalmammedov filed low, and Altymurad Annadurdyev, who was on the corner of the goalkeeper's area, sent the ball to the far corner of the goal in touch.
The opponent bounced back after 5 minutes. Rimon Hussein performed a long-range throw-in into the penalty area: Rakib Hossein headed it dangerously, the goalkeeper parried the shot, but Mohammed Ibrahim, who was the first on the rebound, hit the target with his head - 1:1.
In the first half, Yazguly Khodjageldiyev's wards could come out ahead three more times, but their shots were inaccurate.
After the break, Arslanmurad Amanov and Vezirgeldy Ilyasov, who came on as a substitute in the second half, missed excellent opportunities to score a goal in the team of Turkmenistan. The first struck above the empty goal, and the ball after hitting the second flew near the bar.
In the 65th minute, the Bangladeshis responded with a quick counterattack, which ended with a strong blow from outside the penalty area, Foysal Ahmed. However, goalkeeper Mammet Orazmukhammedov was on the spot.
The Turkmen continued to attack. At the 77th minute, they organized an attack on the left flank, which led to a goal. Altymurad Annadurdyev, having beaten the defender, entered the penalty area and shot along the gate at Arslanmurad Amanov, who sent the ball into the net in touch - 2:1.
At the end of the meeting, which took place in a downpour, the Bangladeshis could save a draw. However, the opponent's player, after a hinged pass, could not accurately shoot from the corner of the goalkeeper's area.
As a result, the national team of Turkmenistan scored the first 3 points. The Malaysian team has the same number of points, which in the second round with a score of 1:2 lost to the leading players from Bahrain with 6 points.
Thus, who from this group will reach the final of the Asian Cup-2023 will be decided in the final round in the meetings of Bahrain - Turkmenistan and Bangladesh - Malaysia.
At the pre-match press conference, the head coach of the Turkmenistan national team Yazguly Khodjageldiyev promised that the team would give everything in the game against Bahrain.
“We will be playing against a strong team, where we will need to prove ourselves,” Hojageldiyev said. - We did not expect that we would be in this position, because we did not plan to lose the first game. So now we will have to fight in the last game to achieve the goal and guarantee a place in the final tournament.”
