Matches of the 25th round of the championship of Turkmenistan among higher league clubs were played across the country’s football fields.
The main focus was on the clash in the Buzmeyin etrap of the capital, where the eight-time former national champion, the Ashgabat-based “Altyn Asyr,” hosted AFC Champions League 2025/26 participant “Ahal.” This year, both teams are competing for the silver medals.
Prior to this match, the opponents had met three times this season. In the first half of the national championship, “Altyn Asyr” won twice: 1–0 in the first round-robin stage and 3–1 in the second. The third round-robin match at “Ahal’s” home ground ended in a 0–0 draw.
The fourth encounter unfolded in uncompromising fashion. The score was opened by “Ahal” captain Elman Tagayev, who converted a penalty in the 16th minute. In the 38th minute, Selim Nurmyradov equalized, making it 1–1. Soon after, Rovshen Halmamedov netted a brace in the 43rd and 46th minutes, putting “Altyn Asyr” ahead 3–1. In the 53rd minute, Nazar Tovakelov reduced the gap to a minimum, 2–3. And nine minutes later, match referee Resul Mamedov showed a straight red card to visiting team player Bagtyyar Gurgenov.
Playing nearly half an hour with ten men, “Ahal” did not lose heart and snatched a draw in stoppage time – 3–3. The team of the Main Directorate of “Turkmennebitonumleri” was saved from defeat in the 91st minute by Dowran Hojamammedov.
By failing to secure victory over their direct competitor, second-placed “Altyn Asyr,” with 41 points, could not pull away from their closest pursuer, “Ahal,” which is one point behind and has a game in hand.
“Shagadam” of Turkmenbashy missed the opportunity to move higher than fourth place in this round, losing 0–2 away to “Arkadag,” which, as previously reported, had secured the Turkmenistan championship title ahead of schedule for the third consecutive time. The winners’ goals were scored by Ahmet Atayev (10th minute) and Gurbanmukhamet Esenov (20th).
After this defeat, “Shagadam” has the same 40 points as “Ahal,” but has played two more matches.
The other two matches of the 25th round ended with away victories by the same score, 2–1. In Mary, thanks to a brace by Serdar Gulyyev (13th and 84th minutes, the latter from the penalty spot), Balkanabat’s “Nebitchi” defeated “Merv,” whose sole goal came from Abdyresul Abdyyev (19th minute). And in the capital, “Ashgabat,” despite leading 1–0 after a goal by Tirkishmyrat Sarymyradov in the 36th minute, fell to “Kopetdag” 1–2. The team of the Ministry of Internal Affairs earned a comeback victory, leaving the last place in the standings, thanks to a stoppage-time brace from Bayramgeldi Gulmayev (56th and 90+1). “Kopetdag” now has 14 points – 2 more than “Merv,” which dropped to last place.
In the scorers’ race, the leader is Didar Durdyyev of “Arkadag” with 21 goals (1 from the penalty spot), the top scorer of the past two Turkmenistan championships. He is followed by teammates: Begench Akmamedov – 17 (1 from the penalty spot), and Altymyrat Annadurdyyev – 16 (1 from the penalty spot).
turkmenistan.gov.tm
