Turkmen Club Takes Points from Iran's «Golgohar Sirjan» in AFC Champions League Two

Turkmenistan's «Arkadag» secured an important draw, playing out a 0-0 stalemate against Iran's «Golgohar Sirjan» in the third round of the AFC Champions League Two group stage. The match took place in the Tajik city of Hisor, where the Iranian club has been forced to play its home fixtures.

A crowd of 250 spectators watched the tense encounter from the stands. The match was officiated by a Tajik refereeing team led by FIFA referee Nasrullo Kabirov.

The Turkmen team's opponents, the Iranian football club «Golgohar Sirjan,» are based in the city of Sirjan in Kerman Province. Founded in 1997, the club represents a major mining company.

The team competes in Iran's top division, where, after ten rounds of the 2026/2027 season, it sits ninth among 18 clubs with 13 points. This season marks «Golgohar Sirjan's» debut in the AFC Champions League Two, while «Arkadag,» which recently secured its fourth consecutive Turkmenistan league title, is taking part in Asia's second-tier club competition for the second year in a row.

The first half was played at a relatively measured pace, but «Arkadag» looked more threatening and created more opportunities in front of goal. The standout performer for the visitors was right-back Arzuvguly Sapargulyyev.

In the 27th minute, he tested «Golgohar Sirjan» goalkeeper Farzin Garousian with a powerful left-footed shot from outside the penalty area, forcing the keeper to make a diving save. Four minutes later, after receiving a pass from Resul Hojaev, Sapargulyyev tried another shot from the left corner of the penalty area, but the ball sailed over the crossbar.

After the break, the game opened up, and both teams created several more scoring chances. In the 50th minute, Rakhman Myratberdiyev produced a dangerous turning shot from the edge of the penalty area, but F.

Shortly before the midway point of the half, Guychmyrat Annagulyyev met Sapargulyyev's corner with a header, but his effort went well wide. In the 71st minute, following another set-piece delivery from Sapargulyyev, Meylis Diniev had a chance to score, but his header went over the crossbar.

The decisive moment of the match came shortly afterwards, when the Turkmen team came extremely close to taking the lead. In the 73rd minute, Yazgylych Gurbanov skillfully beat Ahmad Zendehrooh on the right side of the penalty area before delivering a pass into the centre.