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“Altyn Asyr” Falls to “Al-Shabab” but Keeps AFC Challenge League Playoff Hopes Alive
In the third round of the AFC Challenge League group stage, Turkmenistan’s Altyn Asyr lost 1–3 to Oman’s Al-Shabab. Zafer Babadzhanov scored the only goal for Altyn Asyr in the 29th minute. Al-Shabab’s Hatim Al-Rushadi scored twice (53rd and 90+2nd minutes), while Hanaan Markne added another goal in the 45th minute.
The victory secured Al-Shabab’s spot in the quarterfinals, while Altyn Asyr retained second place in the group and a chance to advance to the playoffs. To qualify as the best second-placed team from the Western zone, Altyn Asyr needs either a draw in the match between Al-Sib (Oman) and Al-Ansar (Lebanon) or for Al-Kuwait to drop points against Bangladesh’s Bashundhara Kings.
Earlier in the group stage, Altyn Asyr had two wins: 1–0 against Kyrgyzstan’s Abdysh-Ata and 3–1 against Bhutan’s Paro.
The 2025/26 AFC Challenge League features 20 clubs divided into Western and Eastern zones. Matches are held in a centralized format, with each team facing opponents once. Each participating club receives $100,000.
Eight teams advance to the quarterfinals: three group winners and the best runner-up from the Western zone, along with the two best teams from each Eastern group. Quarterfinals will take place in March, semifinals in April 2026, and the final on May 9, 2026.
The previous edition was won by Turkmenistan’s reigning champion, Arkadag FC.
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One of the major sporting events in Turkmenistan, the Turkmenistan Tennis Cup, was held at the multifunctional sports complex of the Turkmen State Institute of Physical Culture and Sports. The tournament brought together 72 athletes from across Turkmenistan, including Ahal, Dashoguz, Lebap, Mary regions, and the city of Ashgabat. Among them were 47 male and 25 female players.
The competition was jointly organized by the State Committee for Physical Culture and Sports of Turkmenistan and the Tennis Federation of Turkmenistan and was dedicated to the 30th anniversary of Turkmenistan’s Permanent Neutrality. The event was reported by the “Altyn Asyr” electronic newspaper.
The men’s singles final featured an intense match between national team coach of Turkmenistan, 30-year-old Yuriy Rogusskiy, and his trainee Allanur Dayanjov. The match lasted over three hours and was decided only in extra play. After exchanging set victories, Allanur Dayanjov secured a dramatic win in the final set, earning his first-ever Turkmenistan Cup title.
The third-place match saw Meýlis Orazmuhammedov defeat Didar Wepamyradov, completing the list of medal winners. Orazmuhammedov is also known in Turkmenistan as a coach contributing to the development of tennis nationwide.
In the women’s competition, Aynur Movlamova, a 10th-grade student from Specialized Secondary School No. 27 in Ashgabat, claimed the Turkmenistan Cup for the first time. Her victory highlighted the strong potential of young female athletes in Turkmenistan.
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