Ashgabat training at the Spartak Stadium in Bishkek on Thursday.

BISHKEK – Coach Aleksandr Klimenko has promised Turkmenistan League leaders Ashgabat will continue their attacking style in Friday’s semi-final against Tajikistan champions Regar-TadAZ.

The Turkmenistan Super Cup winners plundered nine goals in winning Group C, the most out of the four semi-finalists who have earned their trip to the Kyrgyzstan capital, to set up their meeting with the inaugural President’s Cup champions.

Ashgabat are the first team from Turkmenistan to reach the last four of the tournament and are well aware they face a tough task against last year’s losing semi-finalists.

Klimenko, who is also registered as a player for the tournament, has stepped into the coaching role after head coach Rahim Kurbanmamedov suffered a heart attack last week.

“We have an attacking style and we will continue to be active in attacks and aim to score more goals,” he said.

“But this is not just our ultimate goal, the other teams in this tournament will also try and to this.

“For all teams the ultimate goal is to play and win the final and we have no other goals even though we have less experience.”

Captain Begenchmuhammed Kuliyev is cautious over his side’s chances, but hopes a strong team spirit in the Ashgabat camp will prove crucial.

“Our players are in a confident mood and we hope to be successful in our first match,” he said. “But we also know we have to be realistic and see what happens in the match.”

Turkmen teams have previously played in the AFC Cup and Klimenko is well aware the second tier competition is played at a significantly higher standard.

And he is now hopeful Ashgabat, who are entirely made up of Turkmen nationals, can succeed in the President’s Cup and represent the country’s emerging talent.

“Football in Turkmenistan is on the rise and a lot of attention is being paid to development. Our team is only three years old and we are currently top of our national league,” added Klimenko.

“It is an important tournament and we hope to do the best for our team, our country and the other teams in Turkmenistan.

“There are no foreign players in our national championship, so we do not have any foreign players in our team. Our leadership is paying a lot of attention to bringing through our own young players instead of bringing in foreign players.”