Let’s talk about the Uzbekistan Super League. Neftchi Fargona is hosting Andijan, and the stakes are pretty clear. From a must-win perspective, Neftchi needs to lay down a marker early in the season to maintain their stronghold at the top end of the table. They cannot afford to drop points in front of their home crowd if they want to control the title race. As a form watcher, it’s hard not to be impressed by what Neftchi is doing right now. They are scoring goals for fun, highlighted by back-to-back 3-0 thrashings against Mashal Muborak and Termez Surkhon. Their attack is absolutely clicking. On the flip side, Andijan is coming into this fixture reeling from a frustrating 2-1 defeat to Qizilqum. They look shaky at the back, which is the exact opposite of what you want when visiting a team averaging three goals a game. Diving into the H2H records, Neftchi has historically dominated this fixture at home, turning their stadium into a total fortress. Andijan occasionally causes problems, but they tend to fold under sustained pressure. Given Neftchi’s lethal attacking rhythm and Andijan’s recent defensive hiccups, all signs point to the home side controlling the tempo from the opening whistle.

• Prediction: Neftchi Fargona to win.