Boboev glanced in the first of his four goals inside five minutes, connecting with Rakhimov’s pinpoint delivery from the right. Rakhimov’s speculative effort from distance bobbled in to double the hosts’ advantage, before Boboev tucked in goals three and four. The second half under way, Mahamadiev pulled one back for Regar as the Lions momentarily switched off. Boboev steered in his fourth, and A. Dzhalilov capped off a commanding victory, pouncing to side-foot home as the keeper fumbled.
Highlights: Istiklol 6-1 Regar-TadAZ
Khujand 2-1 Istaravshan
(Bozorov 10, Fatkhulloev 54; Ashurmamadov 23)
Breaking the deadlock inside 10 minutes, Bozorov fired in at the near post, before Ashurmamadov levelled as a goal-mouth scramble ensued from a corner kick. Fatkhulloev’s second-half strike, however, proved decisive as Khujand edged the Northern Tigers in Istaravshan.
Highlights: Khujand 2-1 Istaravshan
Dushanbe-83 1-1 Khatlon
(Jones 77; Saidov 64)
The sides shared the spoils in the Tajik capital as Jones’ leaping header from Imomnazarov’s whipped delivery cancelled out Saidov’s 63rd-minute penalty.
27th-28th June 2020 Tajikistan Higher League Gameweek 7
Khujand 1-3 Istiklol
(Rikhsiboev 3; M. Dzhalilov, A. Dzhalilov 77, Orazsähedow 90+1)
Manuchekhr Dzhalilov bundled in from a corner to cancel out Sanjar Rikhsiboev’s unexpected third-minute opener. Istiklol eventually gained control of the tie on 77 minutes, when Alisher Dzhalilov’s floated cross-cum-shot deceived the Khujand custodian to give Istiklol the lead. There was no let up for the hosts as the Lions continued to attack, Wahyt Orazsähedow driving into the bottom corner in injury time to remain at the league’s pinnacle.
Regar-TadAZ 1-2 Dunshanbe-83
(Ruziev 88 og; Jones, 45 + 1, Aminu 69)
With a minute of first-half stoppage time remaining, Agbley Jones fired home as the Regar defence were suckered in by Elchibek Rashidbekov’s enterprising run. Idris Aminu doubled for Dushanbe, striking low to cap a storming run from deep. Despite a late slip up when Izatullo Ruziev turned into his own net, Dushanbe-83 held on to claim their second consecutive win.
20th-21st June 2020 Tajikistan Higher League Gameweek 6
Istiklol 8-0 Istaravshan
(Boboev 14, Larin 16, A. Dzhalilov 50 90, Soirov 77, Orazsähedow 78, M. Dzhalilov 85, Panshanbe 88)
Torn apart by Istiklol, Istaravshan’s woes deepen
As Istaravshan failed to clear their lines, Sherriddin Boboev finished off Iskandar Dzhalilov’s marauding run from the right, guiding in with the outside of his boot inside 14 minutes. Ukainian Oleksiy Larin doubled Istiklol’s lead minutes later, bending in directly from a corner. Larin pounced as the visitors attempted to play out from the back, intercepting a wayward pass to tee up Alisher Dzhalilov who struck first time to make it 3-0. Rustam Soirov capped off a slick Istiklol combination to claim their fourth, and Wahyt Orazsähedow turned in number five. There was no let up for Istaravshan, as Manuchekhr Dzhalilov slotted in from a tight angle, Ehson Panjshanbe curled in from distance and A. Dzhalilov thumped in his second to round off a resounding victory.
Highlights: Istiklol 8-0 Istaravshan
Lokomotiv Pamir 1-2 Regar-TadAZ
(Khasanov 79; Akhemdov 2, Ergashev 6)
Loko’s losing streak continues
Yokubjon Akhmedov rose highest to glance in Regar’s opener inside two minutes. Dorobjon Ergashev made it 2-0 on six minutes, allowed to connect with an inswinging corner unmarked. Hakin Khasanov sparked Loko’s resurgence, lifting over the keeper in the 79th minute, but it was too little too late for the hosts.
Ehson Panjshanbe gave the visitors a 28th-minute lead, intercepting a sloppy clearance with his chest, hooking it onto his right and firing home. Doubling the deficit, Fatkhullo Boboev arrived in the hosts’ penalty area unmarked to routinely slot into the bottom corner inside 36 minutes.
It took until the second half for the hosts to strike back, Oyatullo Safarov’s looping delivery deceiving the Lions’ keeper to nestle into the back of the net on the hour mark. Their hope of recovery wasn’t long lived, however, as Ehson Panjshanbem picked out the Istiklol skipper Alisher Dhzalilov, who steered in from close range one minute later.
Turkmenistan striker Wahyt Orazsähedow hit Istiklol’s fourth, before Muhammadjon Rakhimov added another, latching onto to A. Dhzalilov’s defence-piercing ball to tuck in. Rustam Soirov added an extra sheen to the scoreline, cruising goalwards unchallenged to make it six.
Highlights: Regar-TadAZ 1-6 Istiklol
CSKA Pamir Dushanbe 1-1 Fayzkand
(Gafforov 57; Safarzoda 72)
Shodibek Gafforov glanced in from Muhammadjon Rakhimov’s free-kick, whipped in dangerously from the right, to break the deadlock on 57 minutes. Fakhriddin Safarzoda supplied Fayzkand’s leveller, getting a crucial touch on an inswinging delivery.
Highlights: CSKA Pamir Dushanbe 1-1 Fayzkand
Istaravshan 1-2 Khujand
(Barotov 10; Safarov 62, Abdugafforov 78pen)
Mbeke Siebatcheu’s smart ball over the top found Ilhomjon Barotov, whose first-time finish put the Northern Tigers ahead in the 10th minute. As the tie moved into the final third, Manuchehr Safarov headed Khujand’s equaliser, before Oybek Abdugafforov dispatched the winner from the penalty spot on 78 minutes.
Istiklol claim 200th league win in second-half demolition of Kuktosh
Kuktosh sought to expose an Istiklol side that had scraped a 2-2 draw with Khatlon on home soil a week prior. Early high pressing from the visitors however, resulted in an abundance of space for the Lions to move in and out of, as the build up to Alisher Dzhalilov’s miscued overhead kick inside three minutes, had proven.
Alisher Dzhalilov latched onto a long ball over the top to set up Manuchekhr Dzhalilov who neatly tucked in on 15 minutes, to open the scoring. A slim 1-0 advantage at the interval, it wasn’t until the hour mark that Istiklol clicked into gear. M. Dzhalilov’s through ball cleaved apart the Kuktosh backline for Rustam Soirov to turn in and double their lead.
Five minutes later, M.Dzhalilov steered his second of the day into the bottom corner. Moments later, Muhammad Rahimov claimed their fourth as the ball found a way in through the legs of the keeper. Kholmurod Nazarov jabbed in for Kuktosh on 81 minutes, but Istiklol struck back immediately, as Soirov found a way through a huddle of red shirts to make it 5-1.
Soirov swept in for his hat-trick as the Lions tore through the dishevelled visitors at speed to make it 6-1 in stoppage time.
Khatlon continue winning run downing weary Khujand on the road
Some thorough tackling and cautious clearances – hurled back and forth – made for a frenetic opening to the match. Khatlon, resplendent in yellow, acted first to take the reins.
A dangerous deliverer of the ball, and keen to pull the trigger from distance, Khatlon’s No66 Naimjon Ibrahimzoda posed a constant threat from the right. Given too much room to cut inside onto his lethal left peg, in the 20th minute, the right back curled in a pinpoint cross to pick out Khudoidod Uzokov. Dropping into the path of the No10, he only had to make a connection to steer in the opener.
Highlights: Khujand 2-3 Khatlon
Khatlon’s advantage was doubled in the 35th minute – Khujand’s defence still hadn’t learnt their lesson, reacting slowly in shutting down Sorbon Avgonov, as he was allowed to casually bend into the top bin.
Khujand’s front line had been forced to feed off scraps in the first period, but from restart Khatlon were caught napping. Fatkhullo Fatkhuloev broke down the right to whip across the face of goal for Sanjar Rikhsiboev to turn in at the back post, bringing the hosts back into the tie.
Escaping a few moments of unease, Khatlon will thank the safe hands of Ghanaian keeper Quaye Godson, whose sterling shift between the sticks ensured his side kept the upper hand.
Parviz Baki-Akhunov converted the visitors’ third, blasting in off the upright on 72 minutes. And, despite a late resurgence through Dilshod Bozorov’s injury-time tap in, it was too late for Khujand to salvage a point.
Istiklol’s line-up
Istiklol 2-0 CSKA Pamir
(A.Dzhalilov 18, Boboev 86)
The Lions’ persevere to seal victory
Alisher Dzhalilov broke the deadlock in the 18th minute, capitalising as CSKA failed to clear their lines – the No10 able to take a touch, pick his spot and drill low into the bottom corner.
Penned back for the most part, CSKA struggled to subdue the sharp Istiklol front line. In spite of ample opportunities however, the hosts failed to complete some slick passages of play and increase the deficit until the late arrival of Sheriddin Boboev.
Coming off the bench in the 75th minute, for the second match on the trot, Boboev killed off the tie, as he walloped home Istiklol’s second and high-fived the ball boys with minutes left on the clock.
Highlights: Istiklol 2-0 CSKA Pamir
Lokomotiv-Pamir 1-0 Dushanbe-83
(Ruziev OG 75)
Loko edge unlucky Dushanbe-83 to claim all three points late on
Loko’s Shakhrom Sulaimonov
Izatullo Ruziev’s own goal was all that separated the sides at the final whistle. Shakhrom Sulaimonov’s searching 75th-minute free-kick – redirected by the Dushanbe-83 keeper – was inadvertently turned into the visitors’ net by the backtracking centre-half.
Dushanbe-83 had shown early promise, and for the majority of the match, looked the brightest side. Set up with intent, boasting a 4-2-4 formation, they sought to bounce back from the 7-0 mid-week hammering at the hands of Istiklol. Lokomotiv were aiming for their first win of the campaign following a 2-2 season-opener with Fayzkand.
A Dushanbe flurry inside 12 minutes set the tone, and Ismoil Alimardonov’s side-footed effort from the left forced the Loko shot-stopper into action. The Railway Men soon replied however, as Ozodbek Panjiev combined with Shakhrom Sulaimonov on the edge of the area to test the visitors’ custodian.
Loko’s Khakimdzhon Khasanov skips through
Relying on counter-attacks to breach a regimented home defence, 83 moved in their numbers, as swarms of sky blue jerseys were quick to both surge forward, and mute Loko’s advances.
From start to finish, causing the home side problems, was Dushanbe-83’s Ghanaian forward unit consisting of Idris Aminu, Agbley Jones and Colins Adukhen. Bursting forwards and chasing back, they battled for every loose ball, pouncing on any whiff of a chance. Their most promising attacking move came as Adukhen’s delivery, sliced in with the outside of his boot, was fired goalwards by Jones, who flung himself airborne to strike on the flying volley.
Nearing the final whistle, with the hosts narrowly leading and Dushanbe still turning the screw, Sulaimonov had the chance to kill the game off for Loko. His in-swinging free-kick though, was tipped onto the woodwork.