There was a change of leader at the championship of Turkmenistan among the clubs of the major league. After the third round, «Nebitchi» from Balkanabat topped the standings with 7 points. This happened after «Nebitchi» won the second victory in a row, having taken the upper hand over «Ashgabat» - 3:1, and «Kopetdag», which was leading before, suffered its first defeat, losing at home to «Arkadag» - 0:4.
The fate of the «Ashgabat»-«Nebitchi» match, which took place at the «Nisa» stadium, was already decided in the first half, when the hosts answered the two goals of Dayanch Orazgulyyev (3rd minute from the penalty spot) and Akmammet Metdayev (19th) with only one accurate blow Bashim Gurbanberdiyev (44th). After the break, Akmammet Metdayev scored a double from a 11-meter free kick in the 77th minute, setting the final score 3:1 in favour of «Nebitchi».
The meeting between «Kopetdag» and «Arkadag» took place on the central arena of the multifunctional stadium «Ashgabat». The advantage of the debutant of the national championship, representing the city of the same name under construction 30 kilometers from the Turkmen capital, was already evident in the first half, when Arzuvguly Sapargulyyev (35th minute) and Didar Durdyyev (45th) scored two unanswered goals into the opponent's goal. The team of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Turkmenistan conceded two more goals after the break after accurate shots by Resul Hojayev (65th) and Orazberdi Myradov (78th).
Having won the second consecutive victory, «Arkadag» moved up to the second place with 6 points. «Kopetdag», which dropped to the third position, has the same number of points.
On the 4th place with 4 points after two games is the vice-champion «Altyn asyr», who was free from the game in this round.
«Ashgabat», «Energetik», «Merv» and «Ahal» have 3 points each. Mary «Energetik» in this round won the first victory in the championship, beating the local «Shagadam» in the city of Turkmenbashy - 1:0. The guests scored the only goal in the 5th minute - Arslan Yollyyev scored. Both teams ended the game with incomplete squads after being sent off in the 67th minute for 2 yellow cards by Farid Kamaletdinov («Energetik») and 81st by Bayram Atayev («Shagadam»).
But the current champion of Turkmenistan «Ahal» suffered a second defeat in a row, losing this time away to «Merv» - 1:2. The score in this match at the 12th minute was opened by the best scorer of «Merv» last season Alibek Abdyrahmanov. At the 32nd minute, Amir Gurbani restored the balance - 1:1. And on the 3rd minute, compensated for the main time of the game, Zafar Babajanov scored the second goal against «Ahal», pulling out the victory - 2:1.
In the next, 4th round of the Turkmenistan Football Championship, «Altyn Asyr» will play against «Merv», «Ahal» against «Kopetdag», «Energetik» against «Ashgabat» and «Arkadag» against «Shagadam».