Neftchi saw off Qizilqum 5-0 in the Super League's regular season round 16 on Friday evening. The hosts opened the scoring in the third minute and never looked back. It was a comprehensive victory that extended their lead at the top of the table.
A. Odilov was on hand to break the deadlock early, catching the visitors off-guard. By then, Neftchi had already settled into their rhythm and Qizilqum were scrambling to find their feet. The academy graduate marked his first start with a goal, and here's the thing — it set the tone for everything that followed.
J. Iskanderov doubled the advantage just before half-time, finishing a well-worked move. He added another in the 65th minute after the interval, putting the result beyond doubt. To be fair, Qizilqum's defence struggled to contain the pace of the attack, and the academy graduate marked his first start with a goal.
S. Perica made his presence felt with a goal in the 70th minute before being substituted in the 77th. The Serbian forward had been a menace all night, and his late strike was merely confirmation of what had already happened. Rizakulov had been forced off in the 63rd minute, one of two changes that did little to shift the momentum.
The statistics tell the story of a match where one side dominated. Neftchi held 55 per cent possession and registered eight shots on target compared to just two for the visitors. Their shots accuracy of 62 per cent versus Qizilqum's 22 per cent showed who was creating the real chances. There was no doubt about who deserved all three points.
Neftchi now sit top of the table with 48 points from 21 games, with only three defeats to their name. Qizilqum remain in 11th place on 26 points from 20 matches, a gap that looks increasingly difficult to bridge. The hosts have lost just three games this season, and this result keeps them firmly in the hunt.