AFC Challenge League
The side from Turkmenistan face Cambodia's Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng FC in the final of the AFC Challenge League 2024/25 on Saturday.
The final promises to be a thriller and the-AFC.com takes a look at how Arkadag reached the decider.
Group Stage
Drawn in a tough Group B, Arkadag had to fight tooth and nail to confirm their quarter-final spot.
#ChallengeLeague | Group B: FC Arkadag (TKM) 2-1 Maziya Sports & RC (MDV)
They kicked off their campaign with a 2-1 win against Maziya Sports and Recreation of the Maldives and followed that up with a 2-0 defeat of Central Asian rivals FC Abdysh-Ata.
A 3-2 defeat to Kuwait's Al Arabi SC concluded their campaign but Arkadag still finished top of the group.
Quarter-final
v East Bengal (IND)
Arkadag exerted their dominance over both legs against India's East Bengal.
#ChallengeLeague | QF, 1st Leg: East Bengal (IND) 0-1 FC Arkadag (TKM)
Yazgylyç Gurbanow's 10th minute strike at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan saw them walking away with a valuable advantage from the first leg.
East Bengal got off to a fabulous start in the return leg, with Messi Bouli drawing them level on aggregate within the first minute.
#ChallengeLeague | QF, 2nd Leg: FC Arkadag (TKM) 2-1 (3-1 AGG) East Bengal (IND)
It was all Arkadag after that but the Turkmenistan side had to wait till the dying moments to seal victory.
Altymyrat Annadurdyyew nudged them ahead in the 89th minute and the substitute confirmed their ticket to the semi-finals with his second goal in the eighth minute of time added on.
Semi-final
v Al Arabi SC (KUW)
It was a meeting between familiar foes in the semi-finals, with Arkadag having locked horns with Al Arabi in the group stage.
#ChallengeLeague | SF, 1st Leg: Al Arabi SC (KUW) 2-0 FC Arkadag (TKM)
The Kuwaiti side repeated their group stage success in the first leg, with second half goals from Christopher John and Salman Al Awadhi giving them what looked like a healthy advantage.
Arkadah, however, were up for the challenge in the return leg and, roared on by their fans, pulled one back through Sanazar Tirkisow in the seventh minute.
#ChallengeLeague | SF, 2nd Leg: FC Arkadag (TKM) 3-0 (3-2 AGG) Al Arabi FC (KUW)
Annadurdyyew sent the Arkadag fans into raptures with his equaliser in the 58th minute but there was more to come from the Turkmenistan side.
With the match headed for extra time, Annadurdyyew turned provider after he outmuscled his marker to set-up Tirkisow to strike home from close range as Arkadag took their place in the final.
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