Match Report
On paper the standings were lopsided — Istiqlol Dushanbe 2nd with 31 points, Eskhata 9th with 16, 15 apart. In league terms the two rates read 1.27/2 for Eskhata and 1.36/0.29 for Istiqlol Dushanbe (scored/conceded per game); the competition average is 1.28.
Istiqlol Dushanbe had won three straight. From the last five rounds, Eskhata held 7 points of 15 and Istiqlol Dushanbe 13.
The head-to-head ledger counts 5 games: 0 Eskhata wins, 4 for Istiqlol Dushanbe, 1 draw, at 5.2 goals per meeting. History points to goals: 80% of the meetings had three or more, and both sides scored in 80%.
It was 0-0 at the break — the second half brought no more goals and it finished 0-0.