«Arkadag» footballers began the final stage of preparation for the 1/8 final matches of the AFC-2 Champions League with the «Al-Nassr» of Saudi at the Olympic stadium in Ashgabat.
The team of Vladimir Bayramov held their first training session today at a 45 thousand-seat football arena after returning from a training camp in Antalya, Türkiye. During his three-week stay in Türkiye, the three-time champion of Turkmenistan played four friendly matches in preparation for the matches against «Al-Nassr». In the first, «Arkadag», thanks to precise strikes from Dayanch Meredov and Didar Durdyev, won against «Feronikeli», a team playing in the Kosovo First League, 2:0, but lost in the next three: to «Dukagjini», which is in 4th place in the Kosovo Super League, 0:1, to «Dynamo» Mahachkala from the Russian Premier League, 0:1, and to «Milsami», a club in fourth place in the Moldovan Super League, 1:3. In the last game, our team's only goal was scored by Begench Akmammedov with a free kick. At the same time, in the 6th minute of the match, Velmyrat Ballakov missed a penalty, shooting over the goal.
The «Arkadag» coaching staff hopes that the friendly matches held with European teams in Türkiye will help them prepare for their matches against a formidable opponent from Saudi Arabia, considered one of the favourites in the second-largest club tournament Asia.
The first match of the 1/8 finals between «Arkadag» and «Al-Nassr», which includes a number of world stars, including Cristiano Ronaldo, will take place on the 11th of February in Ashgabat. The return match will be played on the 18th of February in Riyadh.
At the previous stage of the AFC-2 Champions League, «Al-Nassr» prevailed in Group «D» with an impeccable result: six wins in six matches with a magnificent 22-2 goal difference. And «Arkadag», with one win, four draws and one defeat, took second place in Group «B», scoring 5 goals in six meetings and conceding 6.
The rules of the tournament provide for substantial bonuses for participants. «Arkadag» has already earned 430 thousand dollars in the current AFC-2 Champions League draw: 300 thousand for participation in the group stage, 80 thousand for reaching the 1/8 finals and 50 thousand for the only victory in the group. «Al-Nassr», with six group stage wins, received 680 thousand dollars.
The winner of the match will receive 160 thousand dollars for reaching the quarterfinals, and 240 thousand dollars for reaching the semifinals. The finalist of the tournament guarantees himself 1 million dollars, and the winner of the AFC-2 Champions League will earn 2.5 million.
