Al Jazira 2:1 Arkadag (TKM). Champions League Two. Match Report
the-afc.com: Oct. 14, 2026
A dramatic end saw Al Jazira Club turn one point to three after they edged FC Arkadag 2-1 in their AFC Champions League Two 2026/27™ Group B tie at Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium on Wednesday.
Centre-back Nermin Mujkic powered home a last-gasp header to take the United Arab Emirates side to the top of the Group B standings on four points with Turkmenistan’s Arkadag one behind.
It was a flurry of chances for Al Jazira in the first half, started by a Kristjan Asslani pass that was chested down by Malcom in the eighth minute before his curling effort was tipped over the bar by Kakageldi Berdiyev.
Then Bruno found Mhammed Rabii in the box but placed his pass a little wider than the defender would have liked and Berdiyev was quick to close down the angle and block the shot before the resulting corner saw Asslani’s volley deflect off Arzuvguly Sapargulyyev.
Al Jazira continued to dominate with Milson lifting the ball over Berdiyev in the 18th minute, only for his goal-bound attempt to be cleared by Guychmyrat Annagulyyev, which was followed by an outrageous Malcom 25-yard volley that hit the bar.
Asslani ran onto Malcom’s pass on the edge of the box but sent his low strike just wide of the post in the 30th minute before Bruno’s cross eight minutes later looked to be heading for the bottom corner before Berdiyev pushed the ball away as Cosmin Olaroiu was left wondering how his Al Jazira side weren’t ahead at the break.
The second half continued in the same vein with the home side going close six minutes into the restart following an exchange of passes between Vinicius Mello and Bruno with the former’s strike prevented by a last-ditch block by Abdy Bashimov.
Al Jazira eventually found the breakthrough in the 55th minute when Malcom smashed home a penalty after his cross had been handled by Yhlas Saparmammedov’s outstretched hand.
The goal woke the AFC Challenge League 2024/25™ champions Arkadag up as they created their first big chance three minutes later when Altymyrat Annadurdyyev’s free-kick crashed against the post with Annagulyyev and Ahmet Atayev getting in each other’s way on the follow-up.
Arkadag’s change of style to a more attacking approach was rewarded with the equaliser in the 66th minute when Sapargulyyev surged down the left flank and crossed into the box for Bashimov to nod past Ersin Destanoglu.
Al Jazira kept going and in the fifth minute of added time, found the winner when Mujkic headed home the rebound after Berdiyev had kept out Malcom’s initial header.
