Football players of «Arkadag» FC went to Turkey Antalya for a training camp.
In preparation for the Turkmenistan Championship, which starts on March 4, 2024, Serdar Geldiev’s team will play a number of games in Turkey. One of them is scheduled for February 3 with the Kyiv team «Obolon» FC.
FC Obolon was founded in 2013. In the 2022/2023 season this team became a silver medalist in the Ukrainian first league. As a result, autumn part of the Ukrainian Championship takes 13th place in the Premier League, where 16 teams compete.
In the new season, Ahal aims to regain the championship title, which was conquered in 2022. For this purpose, on the opening day of January 1 transfer window the coaching staff strengthened the team with six football players. Moved to Ahal: Azizbek Bekchanov and Ilyas Charyev (both from «Kopetdag»), Igor Sekov and Yagshisakhet Dovletgeldyev (both from «Merv»), Akmammet Metdayev from «Nebitchi», Shykhdurdy Amandurdyev from «Shagadam».
Let us remind you that last season Serdar Geldiyev’s team took fourth place among nine teams in the top league of the Turkmenistan championship.
Before the start of the new season, FC Ahal officially changed its logo, which uses a minimum number of colors. Central place in It is occupied by the sign of the Main Directorate «Turkmennebitonumleri» - the team's main sponsor. The year the club was founded is also indicated - 1989.
«The new logo symbolizes the beginning of a new era in the team’s history» the club's press service said in a statement.
«Ahal» is the first Turkmen football club to win twice won the right to play in the AFC Champions League. In 2022 this team represented Turkmenistan for the first time in the main Asian football club competition. Held in Jeddah (Saudi Arabia) two-round tournament with the participation of four clubs from Turkmenistan, Iran, Qatar and United Arab Emirates football players management of «Turkmennebitonumleri» won the first ever victory in AFC Champions League, beating the Qatari Al-Gharafa - 4:2. And in the match debut in this prestigious club competition in Asia took away points from finalist of the AFC Champions League 2015, bronze medalist of the UAE «Shababa» Al-Ahly from Dubai, having drawn with them - 1:1. Based on the results of six matches «Ahal» with 4 points took 4th place in group «C», behind Al-Gharafu (5 points), Shabab Al-Ahli (10 points) and Iranian Foolad (12 points).
Last year, Ahal made an attempt to compete for the second time in a row for the main club football trophy of Asia, finishing in group «A» in rivalry with the teams Al Ain (UAE), Al Feiha (Saudi Arabia) and Pakhtakor (Uzbekistan) fourth place.
