Bukhoro and Navbahor met in the 21st round of the Superliga on 11 September, and the visitors left with a 4:1 victory. R. Jiyanov put Navbahor ahead in the fourth minute, and A. Joraboev equalised for the hosts eight minutes later. That was as close as it got for the first half.
By then Bukhoro had worked themselves into a rhythm. Jiyanov's opener caught them on the break, and Joraboev's reply showed the home side could respond. But Navbahor had the sharper end product, and that would prove decisive.
And here's the thing about the statistics — 42 per cent possession for Bukhoro against 58 for Navbahor tells you very little when the shots on target are 1 to 13. The hosts managed one effort on target all game. The visitors converted five chances into four goals.
D. Kholmatov broke the deadlock in the 69th minute, and S. Abdurakhmonov made it two shortly after. J. Jaloliddinov sealed it in the 87th minute. Three goals in 18 minutes changed everything.
Navbahor sit third with 38 points from 20 games, four ahead of fourth-placed Bukhoro on 34. The visitors have scored in each of their last five matches and are building momentum. Bukhoro, meanwhile, lost 2:3 to Qizilqum in their previous outing.