Turkmenistan, needing nothing less than a win to have a mathematical chance of a top two finish, pressed immediately and almost opened the scoring in the second minute when Maksat Soltanov thought he had converted Mulkaman Annaguliyev’s pass into the area, only for Tajikistan goalkeeper Firuz Bekmurodov to smother the ball before it crossed the line. 

There was no mistake just a minute later when Soltanov teamed up with Allamyrat Kurbanov in a similar attacking move, with the latter smashing his effort into the back of the net to give Turkmenistan the lead. 

Tajikistan wasted no time in searching for the equaliser, and their hard work paid off in the eighth minute. The action began with Fayzali Sardorov supplying Bahodur Khojaev in the area, who was then denied by the bar, but a prowling Idris Yorov volleyed home the rebound. 

A draw would have sufficed to take Tajikistan through, but it wasn’t in their nature to defend, and they got their second goal a minute later with Yorov beating Meretgeldi Bayramov, courtesy of Sardorov’s exceptional back-heel pass. 

The goals kept flowing for Tajikistan, as they were three up by the 11th minute, when Muhamadjon Sharipov dispossessed Gylchmyrat Gylchmyradov at the edge of the box, before slamming the ball into the back of the net with a crackling strike. 

The Turkmenistan defence succumbed under Tajikistan’s pressure again in the 19th minute, when Sharipov’s effort from distance first deflected off Shiri Bayramdurdyyev’s boot, then Kadyr Berenov’s head before settling in the back of the net, leaving Bayramov stunned. 

But Turkmenistan did have a moment of relief when keeper Bekmurodov was sent off for handling the ball outside the box in the final 30 seconds of the first half, and Gurbangeldi Sahedov made use of their one man-advantage by reducing the deficit moments later. 

Tajikistan kept up the momentum in the second half, and just two minutes in, Bakhtiyor Soliev brilliantly intercepted Soltanov’s cross, before teeing up Yorov to complete his hat-trick to make it 5-2. 

With seven minutes left on the clock and a mountain to climb, Turkmenistan head coach eventually brought in Berenov as the power player, with Annaguliyev scoring back-to-back goals in the 35th and 36th minutes respectively to give Turkmenistan a glimmer of hope. 

But Tajikistan quickly restored their lead with Sardorov and Yorov being on target moments later. While Sahedov was able to pull one back in the final minute, it was Sardorov that had the final say of the match to seal a convincing win for Tajikistan.