Turkmenistan’s “Shagadam” has lost its chances of winning the bronze medal in the Turkmenistan Football Championship among the clubs of the higher league. This became clear after the latest victories of its competitors for the prize places — “Ahal” and “Altyn Asyr.”
In a rescheduled match of Round 20 at the “Ashgabat” stadium, “Ahal” routed “Merv” 4–0. The home side opened the scoring in the 1st minute — Magtymberdi Berenov did it. In the 45th minute, he completed a brace. In the 83rd minute, Yakubmukhamet Govshudov increased the lead of the team of the Main Directorate of “Turkmennebitonumleri” to three goals. And the final score was set in the 88th minute by Elman Tagayev, who could have scored a hat-trick in this match, having twice taken penalties — in the 73rd and 91st minutes. But, surprisingly, on both occasions the captain of “Ahal” hit the left post.
In a rescheduled Round 23 match, “Altyn Asyr” defeated Balkanabat’s “Nebitchi” 3–0 at their home ground in the Buzmeyin etrap of the capital. The hosts took the lead as early as the 11th minute after an own goal by Dayanch Orazgulyev. He then received a red card in the 28th minute, leaving the visiting team with ten men. In the 42nd minute, Myrat Annayev doubled “Altyn Asyr’s” advantage. And in the first minute added to the first half, Rovshen Halmamedov set the final score.
After these victories, “Ahal” (49 points) and “Altyn Asyr” (47 points) have become unreachable for their pursuer “Shagadam” (40 points), which, regardless of the results in the remaining two rounds, will finish in fourth place in the national championship.
In another rescheduled Round 22 match, “Arkadag,” already crowned three-time champion of Turkmenistan, defeated “Kopetdag” 3–0 at the capital’s “Nisa” stadium. All three goals — in the 51st minute from a penalty, the 52nd, and the 76th — were scored by Didar Durdyyev, who, thanks to this hat-trick, strengthened his lead in the scoring race with 26 goals (2 from penalties), ahead of his teammate Begench Akmamedov by 9 goals. In third place is Altymyrat Annadurdyev, who ended his season early due to injury and has 16 goals (1 from a penalty).
