Turkmenistan’s «Arkadag» secured an important draw, playing out a 0–0 stalemate against Iran’s «Golgohar Sirjan» in the third round of the AFC Champions League Two group stage. The match took place in the Tajik city of Hisor, where the Iranian club has been forced to play its home fixtures.
A crowd of 250 spectators watched the tense encounter from the stands. The match was officiated by a Tajik refereeing team led by FIFA referee Nasrullo Kabirov.
The Turkmen team’s opponents, the Iranian football club «Golgohar Sirjan,» are based in the city of Sirjan in Kerman Province. Founded in 1997, the club represents a major mining company. The team competes in Iran’s top division, where, after ten rounds of the 2026/2027 season, it sits ninth among 18 clubs with 13 points.
This season marks «Golgohar Sirjan’s» debut in the AFC Champions League Two, while «Arkadag,» which recently secured its fourth consecutive Turkmenistan league title, is taking part in Asia’s second-tier club competition for the second year in a row.
The first half was played at a relatively measured pace, but «Arkadag» looked more threatening and created more opportunities in front of goal. The standout performer for the visitors was right-back Arzuvguly Sapargulyyev. In the 27th minute, he tested «Golgohar Sirjan» goalkeeper Farzin Garousian with a powerful left-footed shot from outside the penalty area, forcing the keeper to make a diving save. Four minutes later, after receiving a pass from Resul Hojaev, Sapargulyyev tried another shot from the left corner of the penalty area, but the ball sailed over the crossbar.
After the break, the game opened up, and both teams created several more scoring chances. In the 50th minute, Rakhman Myratberdiyev produced a dangerous turning shot from the edge of the penalty area, but F. Garousian gathered the ball securely. Shortly before the midway point of the half, Guychmyrat Annagulyyev met Sapargulyyev’s corner with a header, but his effort went well wide. In the 71st minute, following another set-piece delivery from Sapargulyyev, Meylis Diniev had a chance to score, but his header went over the crossbar.
The decisive moment of the match came shortly afterwards, when the Turkmen team came extremely close to taking the lead. In the 73rd minute, Yazgylych Gurbanov skillfully beat Ahmad Zendehrooh on the right side of the penalty area before delivering a pass into the centre. Rakhman Myratberdiyev struck towards goal, but Garousian managed to smother the ball after it rebounded off the post, right on the goal line. A minute later, following a corner from the right, Mekan Saparov headed against the crossbar from just three metres out, and the ball bounced out of play.
The Iranian side responded with a dangerous attack in the 85th minute. Substitute Majid Aliyari met a cross from Siamak Nemati on the right with a header, but the ball went narrowly wide of the right post. The final whistle confirmed a deserved 0–0 draw, with the two teams sharing the points.
The other match in the group produced a dramatic turnaround. At the Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi, the UAE’s «Al Jazira» came from two goals down at half-time to defeat Bahrain’s «Al Muharraq» 4–2. The match was officiated by a refereeing team led by Saudi FIFA referee Mohammed Al-Hoish, with 1,860 spectators in attendance.
The first half belonged to the visitors, who stunned the hosts with a brace from Abdulwahab Al Malood, who scored in the 3rd and 33rd minutes. However, «Al Jazira» produced a remarkable comeback after the break. The star of the match was Brazilian forward Malcom, known for his spells at «Barcelona» and «Zenit», who scored a hat-trick (52nd minute, penalty; 56th and 72nd minutes). Another goal was added by Bruno Conceição de Oliveira, a Brazilian-born naturalized player representing the UAE national team, in the 68th minute.
The AFC Champions League Two group stage has now reached its halfway point. Following the first round of fixtures in Group B, «Al Jazira" leads the standings with 7 points. «Arkadag» is second with 4 points, followed by «Al Muharraq» in third place with 3 points, while «Golgohar Sirjan» sits at the bottom with 2 points. At the end of the group stage, the top two teams from each group will advance to the Round of 16. The tournament winner will be decided in the final on May 15, 2027.
The decisive fixtures are fast approaching. On November 4, «Arkadag» and «Golgohar Sirjan» will meet again in Turkmenistan, while «Al Muharraq» will host «Al Jazira» in Bahrain. In the final two rounds, the Turkmen club will travel to face «Al Muharraq» on November 25 and host «Al Jazira» on December 9.
