Ro‘ziqul Berdiyev stopped the comeback: What is Nasaf’s strength?

Nasaf defeated OKMK 2–1 away from home in Matchday 15 of the Super League, earning three crucial points in the fight for the top places. After the victory, Nasaf head coach Ro‘ziqul Berdiyev explained how his team prevented the hosts from completing another comeback.

However, the press conference revealed an issue even more significant than the result: 10 players from last year’s squad have left, while the club has been inactive in the transfer market for financial reasons. Despite this, Berdiyev believes Nasaf are capable of competing for at least a top-three finish.

OKMK’s usual comeback did not happen this time

The match in Olmaliq began successfully for Nasaf. Bobur Abduxoliqov opened the scoring in the eighth minute, while Sharof Muhitdinov doubled the visitors’ lead in the 61st minute.

OKMK revived the intrigue in the 70th minute when Avazbek O‘lmasaliyev scored. After that, the hosts pushed forward in force and increased the pressure in search of an equalizer.

Ro‘ziqul Berdiyev identified this period as the most difficult part of the match.

“We did not allow OKMK to make a comeback today. It has become a habit for them, and they fight until the very end.”

According to the coach, once the score became 2–1, Nasaf’s most important task was to withstand the pressure and control the match by preventing the opponents from scoring a second goal.

The initiative belonged to OKMK, but the result belonged to Nasaf

Berdiyev admitted that OKMK had more initiative during the match. Especially after the second goal, Nasaf reduced their attacking activity and focused primarily on protecting the lead.

“OKMK may have had the initiative during the match, but we defended in an organised manner.”

Nasaf did not seek to dominate possession or attack constantly in this match. The team tried to exploit the spaces left by their opponents, launch quick counterattacks and create numerical superiority in defence.

This plan worked in the first half. Nasaf not only scored an early goal but also created several dangerous counterattacks.

In the second half, however, the situation changed:

Berdiyev also admitted that he was unhappy with Nasaf completely conceding the initiative when the score was 0–2. He said such a situation could have had even more serious consequences for Nasaf.

Ne’matov became the unsung hero of the victory

Goalkeeper Abduvohid Ne’matov played a particularly important role in Nasaf’s away victory. Berdiyev stressed that he made several crucial saves in both halves.

“Ne’matov once again showed that he is an experienced goalkeeper. He dealt with two good chances in the first half, and also did so in the second half.”

Ne’matov also managed to keep out the initial shot in the move that produced OKMK’s only goal. However, because Nasaf’s defenders failed to mark Avazbek O‘lmasaliyev closely enough, the home player converted the rebound.

Berdiyev’s comments suggest that Ne’matov’s saves did more than preserve the scoreline: they also allowed Nasaf to continue following their tactical plan.

If the goalkeeper had conceded in the opening minutes, Nasaf would have had to focus more on equalising than defending. That could have completely changed the course of the match.

10 players have left since last year’s squad

The most notable part of the press conference was the answer to a question about Nasaf’s finances and transfer policy.

Ro‘ziqul Berdiyev openly said that the club’s inactivity in the transfer market was not accidental.

“Our financial resources are not particularly strong. You can see for yourselves that we are not active in the transfer window, and there is a reason for that.”

The coach said that 10 quality players had left the squad from last season. They have mostly been replaced by young players.

This has given the coaching staff two tasks:

• maintain the team’s results;

• bring the young players up to first-team level in a short time.

In May, Berdiyev also stressed the need to strengthen the squad, saying that the team could face further difficulties before the second round if new players were not brought in. At the time, he said Nasaf needed three or four high-level players.

Despite financial restrictions, the players are fighting

For Berdiyev, the victory over OKMK is worth more than just the three points in the league table.

In his view, the players’ willingness to give everything on the pitch deserves special recognition given the limited resources and the significant changes to the squad.

“Despite this, the lads are giving everything on the pitch. We are twice as happy because of that.”

This statement highlights Nasaf’s main strength this season. The team may not have the same depth on the bench or the same large transfer budget as their rivals. But their organised defence, collective discipline and ability to fight for results remain intact.

The match against OKMK was a clear example: the hosts attacked more, but Nasaf were more precise and patient in decisive moments.

The title is not the realistic target; a top-three finish is

Berdiyev did not overestimate Nasaf’s title chances. He considers Pakhtakor and Neftchi stronger than the other clubs in terms of squad quality and overall potential.

However, that does not mean Nasaf will give up the fight for the top places.

“We can at least aim for a place among the medal positions. We have the ability to do that.”

The victory in Olmaliq made this target more realistic. Nasaf defeated a direct rival away from home and reduced the gap to the leading positions.

Most importantly, the team showed that it can get results even in matches played under intense pressure. Such games are decisive in the fight for the medal positions.

Squad reinforcement is needed before AFC Champions League Two

In addition to the domestic league, Nasaf will also compete in the AFC Champions League Two. The international tournament requires a deep squad because of the busy schedule, long trips and high-level opponents.

Berdiyev said new players were being considered for several positions. The coach expressed hope that they would provide practical help to the team.

For Nasaf, the following qualities will matter more than a player’s name when making transfers:

• adapting quickly to the team’s style;

• being able to play in several positions;

• performing consistently in both the domestic league and Asian competition;

• adding experience to the young squad;

• fitting the club’s financial capabilities.

If no new players arrive, the workload on the first-team squad could increase. This would raise the risk of injuries and physical fatigue during the decisive part of the season.

The victory in Olmaliq was worth more than three points

By defeating OKMK, Nasaf achieved several important results at once.

The team beat a strong opponent away from home, withstood the pressure after taking a two-goal lead, prevented an OKMK comeback and returned to the fight for the top places.

However, the victory’s greatest significance lies elsewhere: it showed that a significantly rebuilt squad with limited financial resources can still achieve major results through discipline and collective effort.

The main question now is whether Nasaf can maintain this difficult and disciplined style of football throughout the season. The victory over OKMK has opened the road to a medal position, but many more challenges await in the domestic league and across Asia.

Do you think Nasaf can finish in the Super League’s top three with their current squad? Share your opinion in the comments and send the article to fellow sports fans on Telegram or other social networks!