Oguzsport defeated National Joldesti 2:0 in the second round of Liga 1's regular season on Friday evening. The away side moved further clear at the top of the table, extending their advantage over the hosts who remain in fourth place.
By then the picture was becoming clearer. Oguzsport sit top with eight points from five games — two wins, two draws and one defeat. National Joldesti trail with seven points from the same number of matches, their record reading two victories, one draw and two losses.
And here's the thing about recent form. The visitors came into this fixture following a 1:0 win over Victoria Bardar on 31st July, having also secured a 1:0 victory against Zimbru II earlier in the month. National Joldesti's last outing ended in a 1:1 draw with Stuceni, though they had suffered a heavy 3:7 defeat in their previous encounter with the same side.
To be fair, this result does not dramatically shift the hierarchy. Eight points and seven points after five rounds hardly separates the contenders, but the margin between first and fourth could prove decisive come the business end of the campaign.
The home side cannot afford another slip if they intend to challenge for the summit. A narrow gap in the table often feels wider when one side drops points and the other does not.