Altyn Asyr saw off Ashgabat 2:1 in the 15th round of the Ýokary Liga regular season on Thursday. The home side took all three points at their ground, ending a run of mixed form with a result that matters.
Altyn Asyr came into this match with three wins from their last four league games — a 4:2 win over Balkan, then back-to-back 2:0 victories against Shagadam and Merv. To be fair, they had suffered a heavy 5:2 defeat to Kopetdag Ashgabat in between, but the momentum had shifted.
Ashgabat's recent record told a different story. They had lost three of their last five league matches: 3:4 to Akhal, a crushing 7:1 to Arkadag, and 3:1 to Kopetdag Ashgabat. They had managed wins against Merv and Balkan, but consistency had been elusive.
And here's the thing about this result — Altyn Asyr had beaten Ashgabat 1:0 in their previous meeting back in May. This time they were more comfortable, not just in the scoreline but in controlling the tempo. The visitors could not find a way back once the home side took the lead.
By then, Altyn Asyr had built enough points to push towards the upper half of the table. A loss would have ended their run, but a win keeps them in contention. Ashgabat, meanwhile, cannot afford another slip if they want to close the gap on the teams above them.