Turan Turkestan moved three points clear of the drop zone with a 3-1 victory over Aktobe Jas in the First Division regular season on Wednesday. The hosts took an early lead through E. Oralbay's sixth-minute strike, but the momentum shifted quickly after that. By then, the visitors were showing the composure that has kept them in third place all season.
E. Saidov turned the game around with back-to-back goals in the 27th and 28th minutes, catching the home defence off guard. Two more from D. Muratov in the 33rd and 34th minutes gave Turan control before any real pressure could build. And here's the thing — Aktobe never quite recovered their shape after falling behind so soon.
The match ended with a controversial moment when A. Sabirov played an own goal in the 38th minute, though the final score remained 3-1 to the visitors. Turan can raise the tempo when they need to, something that showed clearly in this spell of four goals in eight minutes. The hosts looked disjointed after their early advantage faded.
Aktobe Jas sit 11th with 21 games played, six wins, five draws and 10 defeats for 23 points. They have lost three of their last five matches, including this one against a side that has won 14 of their 21 outings this term. The gap between the two sides in the table now stands at 21 points.
Turan Turkestan's visitors' form continues to impress with 14 wins from 21 games and only five defeats. They arrive at 44 points, well clear of the mid-table pack and pushing toward the upper reaches of the division. This result extends their unbeaten run to eight matches across all competitions.