TASHKENT (Interstat) — Bunyodkor overturned an early deficit and beat Mashal Muborak 2-1 on Thursday, using goals from Islom Anvarov and Shamsiddin Tursunmahammadov to secure its first win of the competition. Mashal Muborak struck first in the 7th minute when Zafarbek Akramov scored, but Bunyodkor answered through Anvarov in the 17th and went ahead when Tursunmahammadov scored in the 34th. The home side held that advantage through the second half, protecting a narrow lead while Mashal Muborak pushed for an equalizer that did not arrive. Bunyodkor’s comeback came after Mashal Muborak had taken the lead against the run of the early exchanges, and the home team’s response changed the match before halftime. The visitors’ early goal came from their first clear opening, but Bunyodkor’s pressure produced two goals before the interval and shifted the match in the home side’s favor.

Akramov’s early goal gave the visitors a brief lead and marked the first major moment of the match. Anvarov leveled 10 minutes later, converting after Bunyodkor increased pressure following the opening goal. Tursunmahammadov then supplied the decisive finish in the 34th, with Amir Turakulov involved in the buildup as part of a two-assist performance. Turakulov played 90 minutes and finished with two assists, while Ergash Ismoilov provided the assist on Akramov’s goal for Mashal Muborak. Anvarov played 84 minutes before being substituted, and Tursunmahammadov completed 90 minutes with the winning goal. The scoring sequence gave Bunyodkor a lead it never surrendered, and it forced Mashal Muborak to chase the game after the break. Akramov completed 90 minutes for Mashal Muborak, and Ismoilov also played the full match while recording the assist. The goals from Anvarov and Tursunmahammadov came during a stretch in which Bunyodkor moved the ball quickly through midfield and created chances around the penalty area. The key stat lines were Tursunmahammadov with one goal in 90 minutes, Akramov with one goal in 90 minutes, Anvarov with one goal in 84 minutes, Turakulov with two assists in 90 minutes and Ismoilov with one assist in 90 minutes.

Mashal Muborak could not find a second goal despite late pressure and several changes. Ifeanyi I. received a yellow card in the 19th minute, and Muydinov M. was booked in the 88th. Bunyodkor’s Naimov E. was cautioned in the 89th. Mashal Muborak made substitutions in the 56th minute with Tozhidinov K., in the 66th with Tukhtasinov T. and Jovliyev F., and in the 81st with Yarashev S. and Ifeanyi I. Bunyodkor brought on Olimzhonov M. in the 80th, Krivokapic M. and Anvarov I. in the 84th, and Ikromov A. in the 90th minute plus two. The changes did not alter the scoreline, and Bunyodkor saw out the remaining minutes. Mashal Muborak’s best chances came after it fell behind, but Bunyodkor’s defense held firm and limited the visitors to the one goal from Akramov. Bunyodkor made its final change late as it looked to close out the result.

The result left Mashal Muborak with no wins and three losses in this competition and across all competitions. Bunyodkor moved to one win, one loss and one draw in this competition and across all competitions. Mashal Muborak had lost its previous two matches in the competition, while Bunyodkor had drawn with Sogdiana and lost to Pakhtakor in its two prior competition matches. Bunyodkor’s victory gave the home side the response it needed after those earlier results, and the club’s record now includes its first win of the season in the competition. The match also extended Mashal Muborak’s difficult start, with the visitors unable to convert their early lead into a result. The home side’s second-half management of the lead proved enough to secure all three points.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Bunyodkor 2, Mashal Muborak 1. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Bunyodkor with an 86.8 percent probability to win. Bunyodkor had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of -1. The total score of 3 went under the over/under line of 2.5.