And they want to make an impact on the AFC Cup, which they are contesting by virtue of their third place in last season’s league standings.

Neftchi, who face Kyzylkum in the opening match of the 2009 Uzbek league on Sunday, completed a training stint in Turkey, where they met with mixed success.

Coached by Yuriy Sarkisyan since 1987, Neftchi won one of six friendlies during their trip, beating Kazakhmys Kazakhstan 1-0 thanks to Aziz Alijonov’s penalty.

They drew 0-0 with Romania’s CS Gaz Metan Media but lost the other four matches against Montegro’s FK Sutjeska (0-1), Germany’s FC Nuremberg (5-2), Russian side Anji (4-0) and Belarussians Dynamo Minsk (3-1).

Neftchi meet Lebanon’s Al Ahed, Yemen’s Al Tilal and Busaiteen, of Bahrain, in Group A of the AFC Cup. Their first match is on March 10 away to Al Ahed.

In last year’s domestic league, they were left behind by champions Bunyodkor and Pakhtakor, both of whom are playing in this year’s AFC Champions League.