FC Arkadag played poker for the first time. In addition to winning the AFC Challenge League, gold medals in the national championship and the Super Cup, they added the Turkmenistan Cup, achieving a comeback 2-1 victory in the final over the vice-champion of the country and two-time AFC Champions League participant, Ahal FC, the Golden age electronic newspaper reports.
For the second time in history, the final game for the second most important national club trophy took place in the city of Arkadag, in a packed stadium with a capacity of 10 thousand spectators.
Before the cup match, FC Arkadag and Ahal FC had played each other five times this season. FC Arkadag won all five matches: 3-1, 3-0, 4-1, and 1-0 in the Turkmenistan Championship, and 3-0 in the Turkmenistan Super Cup.
It is noteworthy that before this, both teams also met each other in two previous Turkmenistan Cup finals, in which FC Arkadag celebrated success: 3-0 in 2023 and 1-0 in 2024.
In the 24th minute, Ahal FC winger Magtymberdi Berenov ran down the left side from Berdimyrat Rejepov and, entering the penalty area, made a perfect pass to Yakubmuhammet Govshudov, who immediately sent the ball with his left foot into the lower right corner of the goal.
FC Arkadag equalised in the 67th minute with a penalty, which was awarded for a foul in the penalty area against Resul Hojayev. The 11-meter penalty kick was converted by Shamammet Hydyrov. At the same time, referee Berdimammet Atdyyev sent off Ahal FC defender Salim Umarov for a push in the back, which deprived R.Hojayev, who had the evil eye of the goalkeeper, of a clear opportunity to score a goal.
Left with a man down, Ahal FC soon conceded a second goal, which in the 77th minute was scored into the upper left corner of the net by Shamammet Hydyrov with a brilliant free kick from 23 metres, completing the winning double.
The outgoing year 2025 turned out to be very successful for FC Arkadag. In May, this football club from first «smart» city of Turkmenistan won the third-ranked Asian club trophy, the 2024/25 AFC Challenge League Cup, defeating Preah Khan Rich Svay Rieng of Cambodia 2-1 in the final. In September, team of Vladimir Bayramov won the Super Cup, after which they secured the national championship for the third time. And now, for the third year in a row, we have won the Turkmenistan Cup.
