After Pakhtakor held leaders Bunyodkor to a goalless draw yesterday which left the table-topping defending champions within a point of claiming the title, third-placed Nasaf took full advantage to cut the gap to five points with five games remaining with three first-half goals against fifth-placed Neftchi.

Samandar Shodmonov opened the scoring for Nasaf before Anvar Berdiyev equalised for the visitors 14 minutes later.

But after Rustam Kodyrov restored the advantage five minutes later, Sergey Kot added a third just before the break to seal the win.