The football team "Arkadag" achieved their second major victory in the Turkmenistan Championship among the top league clubs. After a confident victory over the country's vice-champion "Altyn Asyr" with a score of 3-0, Vladimir Bayramov's wards won with a crushing score of 5-0 in the 3rd round against "Nebitchi" from Balkanabat, bronze medalist of last year's national championship.
Initially, this game was supposed to take place in Balkanabat, but the teams swapped home matches in the first two rounds.
The match was held at the "Sport Toplumy" stadium in the Buzmeyin etrap of Ashgabat and was dominated by the reigning country champion.
Shanazar Tirkishov opened the scoring in the 12th minute. Three minutes later, Didar Durdyev, top scorer of the Turkmenistan-2023 championship, doubled the advantage. After the break, Altymyrat Annadurdyev scored a brace (55th and 74th minutes). And just three minutes later, Nazar Tovakelov scored the fifth goal against the opponent, securing the final score.
After two games, "Arkadag" has 6 points, which is 3 points less than "Akhal", who secured their third victory of the championship. In the third round Serdar Geldiyev's wards won 1-0 against "Shagadam" from Turkmenbashi.
The match was held in Babarap gengeshlik of Geokdepe etrap of Akhal velayat. Its fate was decided in the last minute of regular time when after a corner kick from the left side, Alibek Abdyrakhmanov scored the winning goal with a header. Prior to that, "Akhal" had a penalty opportunity in the 82nd minute. However, Elman Tagayev, the team captain and the best player of Turkmenistan in the previous season, shot from the 11-meter mark above the goal.
In the next round, "Akhal" will play away against "Arkadag" on March 30.
Mary's "Energetik", outsider of last year's national championship, earned their first point in the Turkmenistan-2024 championship, playing a 1-1 draw away against the capital's "Kopetdag". The hosts conceded a goal in the 6th minute after a one-on-one situation with goalkeeper Abdyresul Abdyev. However, they managed to equalize in the 60th minute with a precise shot from 12 meters by Orazmukhamet Ishangulyev.
This is already the second draw for "Kopetdag" in the current country championship. After two games, under the guidance of Tofik Shukurov, they occupy the 7th place in the standings with 2 points.
In the next round, "Energetik" will have a rest, while "Kopetdag" will go to visit "Merv". The match will be held on March 29.
In the dispute of scorers established dual power. Altymyrat Annadurdyev (Arkadag) and Yazgylych Gurbanov (Akhal) share the first place with 3 goals each. Alibek Abdyrakhmanov (Akhal), Dovran Berdyev (Nebitchi), and Didar Durdyev (Arkadag) have 2 goals each.
