July 19, 2022
The Kyrgyz Premier League was created in 1992 after the dissolution of the Soviet Union since when Dordoi Bishkek have been the most successful side, winning the last four titles, and 13 in total. Their main rivals have been Alay Osh, from Kyrgyz’s second city Osh, who have won 4 titles, and between the two sides they have won the last 11 titles.
The Kyrgyz Premier League consists of 10 sides, of which the champion qualifies for the AFC Cup group stage, whilst the runner-up also qualifies for the AFC Cup but might have to play a qualifier depending on the relative rankings of the other sides qualifying. The side finishing last gets relegated to the Second division.
However, the usual order in Kyrgyzstan has been upset this season, with Dordoi struggling near the foot of the 10 team Premier League, following the departure of Russian coach Aleksandr Krestinin, who was in charge for their last four title wins, and cited by many fans as being the primary reason for the slump.
Alay Osh also got off to a slow start but a recent up-turn in form had since seen them ascend to second place, behind surprise leaders FC Abdysh-Ata Kant, who have won both encounters so far with Dordoi and the one with Alay. To give some perspective, the journey from Bishkek to Osh by road is 470 miles, which takes nearly 14 hours by road, but less than an hour by air. The journey from Kant to Bishkek is around 20km.
Sides in the Kyrgyz Premier league are allowed to sign as many foreigners as they like, although only 5 are allowed on the pitch at any one time.
Dordoi have two overseas players
in their squad who should be familiar to followers of the Belarus Premier League, with veteran
Russian ex-Slavia Mozyr centre-back Yuri Nedashkovsky having signed for this
season, plus ex-Slutsk Moldovian international Maxsim Fosca ( 1 cap ). However Fosca was missing for today's encounter.
Dordoi’s other foreigners weree Ghanaian striker Joel Kojo, who was joint top-scorer with 4 goals, and Uzbek centre-back Timur Talipov, who was a substitute today.
Dordoi play their major matches at the 23,000 capacity Dolen Omurzakov Stadium, previously known as the Spartak Stadium, which also doubles as the national stadium, but most league matches at played at SK Dordoi, which has a grass pitch, 950 seats and a capacity of 3,000, which is where today’s game was held.
Dordoi have played fewer games than other sides in the league due to their participation in the AFC Cup, where, despite matches being played in Bishkek, they were eliminated after a 0-1 loss to Turkmenistan side Kopetdag ( 0-1 ) and a 0-0 draw with Khujand from Tajikistan.
Ilbers are also from the capital Bishkek, and are in their fifth season in the Kyrgyz Premier League, with 6th placed finishes in 2018 and 2019 being their best achievements. Home matches are played at the 1,000 capacity Stadium FC FKKR, and all of their squad are Kyrgyz citizens. Transfermrkt had their most valuable player as midfielder Mirlan Bekberdinov at 175K Euro, whereas Kojo was the highest valuable player for Dordoi at 225K Euros.
Dordoi’s starting line-up included 7 Kyrgyz internationals ( Kadyrbekov, Mishchenko, Zhanybek uulu, Azarov, Shamshiev, Artykbaev & Borubaev ),and a further two, ( Sagynbaev & Rustamov ) emerged from the bench at half-time. In contrast, Ilbers’ squad contained zero internationals.
The match was streamed live on the Kyrgyz Sport YouTube channel, attracting just over 6,000 views, and the temperature at the local kick-off time of 18.30 was 32 degrees. Dordoi were playing in their familiar all blue, whilst Ilbirs were in an all white strip.
The first significant moment in the match came in the 11th minute, when Dordoi won a free-kick in a dangerous position after a foul on Kojo, but international defender Alexander Mishchenko’s set-piece attempt sailed harmlessly over the bar. However, three minutes later, Dordoi were celebrating the opening goal as Kojo headed home a rebound after the Ilbirs keeper flapped after a poor clearance from a corner, and the officials deemed the ball had crossed the line for the Ghanaian’s fifth goal of the season before being hacked clear.
Dordoi almost doubled their lead in the 18th minute, Zhanybek uulu, controlled the ball on his chest after a corner had been partially cleared, before powerfully hitting the crossbar. Dordoi were rampant, and a minute later Kojo was denied by a fine save by Ilbirs keeper Chomoev.
Despite this, in the 32nd minute, Ilbirs could have leveled the score after sloppy defending by Dordoi, but the chance was blazed well wide by Nurlan uulu. In return, in the 38th minute Mishchenko hit from a distance, but Ilbers’keeper Chomoev made a decent save.
Despite leading at half-time, Dordoi’s coach made a triple substitution at the interval, but unfortunately for him the immediate impact was an equaliser for Ilbers, as the unmarked Zhenisbekov headed home from 6 yards from Kenzhebaev’s cross from the right.
Dordoi responded with a dangerous free-kick in the 61st minute when Shamshiev earned another free kick in a promising position, but keeper Chomoev parried Azarov's kick.
Matters got worse for Dordoi in the 65th minute when a quick counter-attack saw Marlen Murzakhmatov turn and shoot to catch the Dordoi keeper napping at his near post to give the visitors the lead, and for a while thereafter Dordoi struggled to get back into the contest.
However, Dordoi managed to get back on level terms nine minutes from time when a long free-kick beyond the far post from substitute Talipov enabled Maxim Duvanaev to head home the equaliser. Although Dordoi pressed for the winner, Ilbirs defended well to secure a well deserved point.
Following the latest round of fixtures, Dordoi stand in a scarcely believable 8th place, 15 points from the lead with just one game in hand. Ilbirs are on course for their best ever finish, sitting currently in fourth place.
FK Dordoi Bishkek : Kadyrbekov - Mishchenko, Duvanaev, Nedashkovsky ( Talipov ), Zhanybek uulu - Azarov ( Yunusov ), Artykbaev ( Sagynbaev ), Shamshiev Abilov ( Sarykbaev ) - Borubaev ( Rustamov ), Kojo.
Ilbirs Bishkek FC : Chomoev - Shamshiev, Balbakov, A. Bekberdinov,, Baktybekov - Murzakhmatov, M. Bekberdinov., Nurmat uulu, Kenzhebaev - Nurlan uulu, Abdyvaliev
Highlights : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ut-R99Dsyn4&t=259s
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