ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan (Interstat) — Ahal delivered a commanding performance Wednesday, defeating rival Koepetdag Asgabat 4-1 in a Ýokary Liga match at Köpetdag Stadiony.

The victory extends Ahal’s dominance in the fixture this season, having now defeated Koepetdag in all three of their league meetings. The visitors completed the season sweep with a comprehensive display, overwhelming a Koepetdag side mired at the bottom of the table.

Ahal established control early, with Alibek Abdyrahmanow opening the scoring in the 18th minute. The visitors carried the 1-0 advantage through the remainder of the first half and deep into the second, demonstrating patience against a resilient Koepetdag defense.

The match was ultimately put to rest in the 76th minute when Elman Tagaýew found the net, doubling Ahal’s lead and sparking a decisive flurry of goals. Two more unanswered strikes followed from Ahal in the closing stages, cementing the result before Koepetdag managed a late consolation goal.

The final scoreline surpassed the projection from Interstat’s game simulator, which had forecast a closer 2-1 outcome for Ahal. The data firm’s ELO system had given Ahal a 78.50 percent probability to win.

The result reinforces the starkly contrasting trajectories of the two clubs in the Turkmenistan top flight. Ahal improved its impressive season record in the Ýokary Liga to 13 wins, 6 losses and 4 draws. The team’s form across all competitions now stands at 15 wins, 6 losses and 4 draws.

Conversely, Koepetdag Asgabat’s difficult season continued, with its league record falling to 3 wins, 18 losses and 4 draws. Its identical record across all competitions underscores the team’s ongoing struggles.

Ahal entered the match looking to rebound from a narrow 1-0 loss to FK Arkadag just three days prior. The team’s previous encounter with Koepetdag on Oct. 16 resulted in a 2-0 victory for Ahal.

Koepetdag arrived following a 2-2 draw with Merw on Oct. 26, a result that had briefly interrupted a string of losses.

Looking ahead, Ahal’s next challenge is a league fixture at Sagadam on Nov. 8. Koepetdag Asgabat will seek to regroup when it travels to face Asgabat, also on Nov. 8.