The football players of "Arkadag" won the AFC Challenge League Cup 2024/25 by defeating the Cambodian club "Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng" 2-1 in today’s final.
The match took place in Phnom Penh at the packed Morodok Techo National Stadium, with a capacity of 60,000 spectators.
In the first half, it took "Arkadag" half an hour to make their first shot on goal. Didar Durdyyev fired from outside the penalty area, but the ball flew over the crossbar.
Shortly after that, Shanazar Tirkishov broke into the penalty area from the left, but his shot was saved by goalkeeper Vireak Dara.
The teams went into halftime with the score still 0-0.
Towards the end of the first quarter of the second half, the guests earned a corner kick, after which they opened the scoring. In the 59th minute, Shanazar Tirkishov delivered a precise cross to Mekan Saparov, who headed the ball to put "Arkadag" ahead 1-0.
In the remaining time of the second half, the hosts made many efforts to equalize and eventually succeeded. In the 82nd minute, the players of "Svay Rieng" executed a corner from the right side, followed by a cross into the penalty area, and Saret Kria, jumping highest, headed the ball into the net – 1-1.
The score remained unchanged until the end of regular time, which meant the teams had to play an additional 30 minutes of extra time.
In overtime, fortune turned away from the hosts when, in the 101st minute, substitute Min Ratanak struck the post. However, the Turkmen players took advantage of their chance to score. In the 112th minute, Arzuvguly Sapargulyyev made a long pass from deep in the field to Altymyrat Annadurdyyev, who, escaping his defender, faced the goalkeeper one-on-one and accurately shot into the far corner. This goal proved to be the winning one.
At the award ceremony, the "Arkadag" team was presented with the AFC Challenge League Cup 2024/25, and two of its standout players – Altymyrat Annadurdyyev and Shanazar Tirkishov – received individual awards.
Thus, "Arkadag" became the third Turkmen club to win a continental trophy after "Balkan" in 2013 and ITTU in 2014 in the AFC President's Cup.
The AFC Challenge League is the third most important club tournament in Asia, featuring teams that are weaker compared to participants of the elite AFC Champions League and AFC Champions League 2. It was established for ambitious teams to showcase their football talents.
