April 11 & 12, 2023
The Tajikistan Vysshaya Liga, or Higher League, was founded in 1992 following the break-up of the Soviet Union.
The first champions were the ex-army club CSKA Dushanbe, who had been the only side from Tajikistan to participate in the Soviet Top League, with three seasons between 1989-91.
In the early 2000s Regar-TadAZ, from the western city of Tursunzoda became the dominant club, winning 7 titles out of 8 between 2001 and 2008, but they have been usurped by Istiqlol from the capital Dushanbe, who have won 11 titles since 2011, including the last 9 championships.
The ten sides in the Vysshaya Liga play an 18 game regular season, with the top 5 qualifying for the Championship round where 4 additional matches are played. The winners qualify for the AFC Champions League group stages, whilst second and third go into the AFC Cup. The bottom 5 enter the relegation round, and the bottom two after 22 games are demoted to the Tajik First Division.
In 2022, Istiqlol, which means Independence, won the league by 13 points from Ravshan Kulob, with Khujand a point behind and ahead of Khatlon on goal difference. Istaravshan and Ravshan Zafarobod were relegated, and replaced by Khosilot Farkhor and Kuktosh.
Sides in the Vysshaya Liga are permitted to sign 7 foreign players, but with only 5 on the pitch at any one time. VAR has been introduced into the league for the first time this season. 53 foreign players are signed to sides in the Vysshaya Liga, with 16 from Ghana, 10 from Uzbekistan, 9 from Cameroon and 4 each from Russia and Iran.
Highlights and an occasional live stream are available on the TV Football YouTube channel.
The Tajikistan national side are currently 106th in FIFA’s world rankings. Most of the current squad play either domestically or in neighbouring Uzbekistan. Perhaps the most familiar player to readers of these diaries would be Shamrom Samiev, who represented both Torpedo Zhodino and Isloch in Belarus and is now with Zimbru Chisnau in Moldova. 19 year old Mekhrubon Karimov plays for Samgurali in Georgia and Parvizdzhon Umarbayev is with CSKA 1948 Sofia. 11 of the squad play for Istiqlol, including striker Manuchekhr Dzhalilov who holds the record for the most goals for Tajikistan with 20 from 43 appearances.
Tuesday 11th April, 2023
Khosilot Farkhor 0-0 CSKA Pamir Dushanbe ( att : 4,000 )
Fayzkand Vose 2-1 Kuktosh ( att : 1,000 )
Wednesday 12th April, 2023
FC Regar-TadAZ 1-1 Istiqlol ( att : 1,700 )
FK Eskhata 0-1 FK Khujand ( att : 3,700 )
Ravshan Kulob 0-1 Khatlon ( att : 6,500 )
Newly promoted Khosilot, from the city of Farkhor in south-west of the country close to the border with Afghanistan, were unbeaten after their opening two games and extended that run to three with a goalless draw at home to CSKA. Ugandan forward Musisi Farouk nearly gave Khosilot a first half lead but after being put clear his left-footed effort was acrobatically pushed away by the CSKA keeper Yusupov. With balding ex-International Bakhtiyor Choriyev pulling the strings in midfield, CSKA should have won the game in injury time, when after pouncing on a defensive error, Cameroonian striker Jean Gaten rounded the Khosilot keeper but steered the ball wide with the goal at this mercy.
In a battle between two of the likely title candidates, Regar-TadAZ hosted Istiqlol at their smart all-seat 13,000 capacity Talco Arena although the game failed to catch the imagination of the locals and drew a paltry crowd. Istiqlol had already made a statement of intent by winning their opening two matches, and although Regar-TadAZ had recorded a comfortable 3-0 home win over Khatlon in the opening round, they were subsequently held 2-2 at Khujand.
Istiqlol could have taken the lead with barely 30 seconds played but Manuchekhr Dzhalilov headed over from 6 yards. Regar-TadAZ responded with a goal of their own in the 6 minute, Faridun Davlatov diving bravely to head home before the Istiqlol’s national keeper Yatimov could catch a low cross from the left wing.
Dzhalilov made amends for his earlier miss by slamming a free-kick right on the edge of the area into the roof of the net to bring the sides level with 12 minutes played although Ghanian keeper Godson probably could have done better. Regar-TadAZ nearly regained the lead on the stroke of half-time but Boronov’s shot after a free-kick had bobbled through a mass of players was pushed away at his near post by Yatimov.
Yatimov was again to the rescue in the 69th and 73rd minutes, saving bravely from Khamrokulov on both occasions, to ensure his side took a point from the match, even though they lost their 100% record.
The best attendance of the round was at Ravshan Kulob but the 6,500 spectators went home disappointed as their unbeaten side slipped to 0-1 loss to Khatlon, who started the day without a point from their two games. Kulob is in the south of the country, around 200km from the capital Dushanbe, whilst Khatlon come from Bokhtar, 100km south of Dushanbe. Ravshan play at the modern 20,000 capacity Central Stadion, which has the seats decked out in the red, white and green of the Tajik flag.
The most dramatic moment of the first twenty minutes occurred when Ravshan’s Mukhammad unnecessarily attempted a back pass from just inside the Khatlon half, forcing Ukrainian keeper Hyrtsenko into a spectacular diving header to prevent an amazing own goal.
Tanzanian striker Mwanengo and Ghanian Joseph Akomadi ( twice ) both missed glorious chances to put Ravshan in front and Olimzoda’s tame free-kick took a nasty bounce and nearly deceived Khatlon keeper Ismoilov. Ravshan paid for their profligacy 15 minutes from time when Sharipov sent a 25 yard free-kick over the wall and into the top corner despite the keeper’s despairing dive, to give Khatlon a smash and grab three points.
In the two other games, a goal from South Korean Bae Beom-geun gave Khujand a first win of the season at Eskhata, who had previously held a 100% record. Bae has previously played in North Macedonia, Malaysia and Slovakia, as well as Gyeongnam in his homeland. Two goals from Shavkati Khotam either side of half-time helped Fayzkand Vose beat Kuktosh, who remained pointless. Shukurov claimed a consolation goal for Kuktosh 10 minutes from time.
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