The Yokary Liga is now is full swing and on Wednesday afternoon, MERW Mary host perennial champions Altyn Asyr in the Turkmenistan top-flight.
MERW have made a poor start to their league campaign. They are currently sixth place in the top-flight table after suffering five defeats in their opening seven league matches this season. In fact, the home side have now won just three of their last 32 matches in the Yokary Liga. Last time out in the league, they suffered a 3-1 defeat at Kopetdag Asgabat.
The game broke a recent trend in MERW’s games of low-scoring affairs, as four of their last five league matches have produced under 2.5 goals.
The home side has a highly inconsistent recent home record in the Turkmenistan top-flight, having won three and lost three of their last six home matches in the Yokary Liga. However, the three wins this season are their only home wins in 16 league matches on home soil.
The recent history of this fixture favours the visitors, as MERW have lost their last seven meetings with Altyn Asyr.
Altyn Asyr have made a decent start to the new Yokary Liga campaign and sit second place in the top-flight. The reigning champions are three points behind last seasons runners-up Ahal in the fight for the title. A 1-0 defeat at Nebitci last time out ended their unbeaten start to the new league campaign.
While their early season matches in the league have not always been high-scoring, both teams have scored in five of their last seven games.
The champions have struggled on their travels in Yokary Liga of late, winning just one of their last five away games in the top-flight. Their recent matches on their travels in the Yokary Liga have been low-scoring, with under 2.5 goals scored in their last four league games.
Forebet predicts that the visitors will return to winning ways by recording a victory in a low-scoring encounter.