Tue, 30 Nov, -0001
Melaka: Balkan of Turkmenistan kicked off their AFC President’s Cup 2013 campaign with a bang as they whipped Nepal’s Three Star Club 6-0 in Malaysia on Monday.
Balkan controlled most of proceedings in both halves of the Group A game and showed what was to come as they scored the first two goals within two minutes of each other in the first half, before improving the score line by another four goals in the second.
It took the 2011 semi-finalists several close attempts including a close-quarter header in front of goal and a corner kick from the right side both of which floated well above the goal post until Yevgeniy Tkachenko found Three Star’s net on 22 minutes.
Two minutes later, captain Mammedaly Karadanov doubled the lead as he received a corner throw from the left side.
Three Star club improved their possession and fought hard to make a comeback in the second half but defender Mekan Saparov widened the gap with a third goal after 59 minutes and substitute Rahmet Shermetov put another four minutes later to make it 4-0.
A penalty kick in the 78th minute by Amir Gurbani took it further to 5-0 before another substitute Gahryman Chonkayev closed the floodgates of goals with goal number six on 87 minutes.
Nepal League champions Three Star and Balkan will resume their campaigns against Erchim of Mongolia on Wednesday and Friday respectively.
Photo: WSG