# Guwançmuhammet Öwekow

Guvanchmukhammed Saparmukhammedovich Ovekov (Turkmen: Guwançmuhammet Saparmuhammedowiç Öwekow; born February 2, 1981) is a former professional Turkmen football player and manager. Öwekow played as a striker for Arsenal Kyiv, CSKA Kyiv, Borysfen Boryspil, Vorskla Poltava, Navbahor Namangan, Zorya Luhansk, Kharkiv, Zhetysu, Khorazm, Nebitçi, Ahal, Nisa and the Turkmenistan national team. In November 2024, Öwekow was elected President of the Football Federation of Turkmenistan.

## Playing career
### Club

Guvenchmukhamed Ovekov was born in Ashgabat. He began his career with Turkmen club SMM+.
He played for the Ashgabat club Nisa. During the 2000 Commonwealth of Independent States Cup in Moscow, his performance caught the attention of several Ukrainian clubs. He caught the attention of the coaching staff of CSKA Kyiv, which led him to move to Ukraine. He went on to compete in the Ukrainian Championship, representing Arsenal Kyiv, Borysfen, Vorskla, Zorya, and Kharkiv. Additionally, he played for the Uzbek clubs Navbahor and Khorezm.
Öwekow has experience competing in futsal. In 2007, he became the Turkmenistan Futsal Championship winner with the team Asudalyk. Recognized as the best player and top scorer of the tournament, Öwekow scored 11 goals throughout the competition. In the final match, Asudalyk overcame a two-goal deficit to defeat IPS Motors 5-4, securing the club's first national championship title.
In 2008, he joined the Taldykorgan-based club Zhetysu, where he contributed to the team's sixth-place finish in the Kazakhstan Premier League, appearing in 18 matches and scoring 4 goals. Öwekow played for a Kazakh club as a midfielder.
At the start of 2009, he returned to Navbahor, where he had previously played in the 2005–2006 season.
In 2011, Ovekov returned to Turkmenistan, signing with FC Balkan from Balkanabat. He helped the team win the Turkmenistan Super Cup, scoring a crucial goal in the 84th minute. That season, he also celebrated a championship victory with the club. In the 2011 AFC President's Cup, FC Balkan advanced to the final stage but was narrowly defeated by Taiwan Power Company F.C. (3:4).
In 2013, he played for FC Altyn Asyr.
His final club was FC Ahal, and upon retiring as a player, he joined the coaching staff.

## International career

Guwançmuhammet Öwekow has played 22 games for the Turkmenistan national football team between 2003 and 2010, scoring 9 goals. He made his debut for the national team on October 30, 2003, in a 1–1 match against the United Arab Emirates, coming on as a substitute for Didargylyç Urazow in the 53rd minute.
He represented Turkmenistan in the 2004 AFC Asian Cup held in China PR, where he played in three matches: against Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Uzbekistan. He also participated in the 2006 and 2010 World Cup qualifiers, scoring 4 goals across these campaigns.
Guwançmuhammet Öwekow participated in the largest ever win for Turkmenistan, a match at home against Afghan national football team in which Öwekow scored two of Turkmenistan's eleven goals. Five years later, Ovekov made another record against the same opponent, as he scored four goals during the 5–0 win over the Afghans during a 2008 AFC Challenge Cup group stage match.

## Coaching career

He has been coach of FC Ahal from 2014, led the club to the silver in 2014 Ýokary Liga. He also shortly coached FK Arkadag in 2023.

## Football administration

Öwekow was elected president of Football Federation of Turkmenistan on 4 November 2024. In February 2025, Öwekow was re-elected as chairman for another four-year term.

## Club career statistics

Last update: 9 March 2008
| Season | Team | Country | Division | Apps | Goals |
| 2001 | Nisa Aşgabat | Turkmenistan | 1 | ?? | ?? |
| 01/02 | FC Arsenal Kyiv | Ukraine | 1 | 6 | 1 |
| 02/03 | FC Arsenal Kyiv | Ukraine | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| 03/04 | FC Arsenal Kyiv | Ukraine | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| 03/04 | FC Vorskla Poltava | Ukraine | 1 | 9 | 1 |
| 2005 | Navbahor Namangan | Uzbekistan | 1 | 21 | 2 |
| 2006 | Navbahor Namangan | Uzbekistan | 1 | ?? | ?? |
| 06/07 | FC Zorya Luhansk | Ukraine | 1 | 12 | 1 |
| 06/07 | FC Kharkiv | Ukraine | 1 | 12 | 0 |
| 07/08 | FC Kharkiv | Ukraine | 1 | 12 | 0 |
| 2008 | FC Zhetysu | Kazakhstan | 1 | 18 | 4 |

## International career statistics
### Goals for Senior National Team

| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
| 1. | November 19, 2003 | Ashgabat, Turkmenistan | Afghanistan | 11–0 | Won | 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 2. | November 19, 2003 | Ashgabat, Turkmenistan | Afghanistan | 11–0 | Won | 2006 FIFAWorld Cup qualification |
| 3. | February 18, 2004 | Ashgabat, Turkmenistan | Sri Lanka | 2–0 | Won | 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 4. | June 14, 2008 | Ashgabat, Turkmenistan | South Korea | 1–3 | Lost | 2010 FIFA World Cup Qualification |
| 5. | August 1, 2008 | Hyderabad, India | Afghanistan | 5–0 | Won | 2008 AFC Challenge Cup |
| 6. | August 1, 2008 | Hyderabad, India | Afghanistan | 5–0 | Won | 2008 AFC Challenge Cup |
| 7. | August 1, 2008 | Hyderabad, India | Afghanistan | 5–0 | Won | 2008 AFC Challenge Cup |
| 8. | August 1, 2008 | Hyderabad, India | Afghanistan | 5–0 | Won | 2008 AFC Challenge Cup |
| 9. | October 22, 2009 | Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam | Singapore | 2–4 | Lose | FIFA Friendly match |

## Achievements

Nisa
* Turkmenistan Champion: 2001
Balkan
* Turkmenistan Champion: 2011
* Turkmenistan Super Cup Winner: 2011
Zorya
* Winner of the Ukrainian First League (1): 2005–06
Borysfen
* Runner-up of the Ukrainian First League (1): 2002–03

### Managerial Honors

Ahal
* Turkmenistan Championship Runners-up: 2014
* Turkmenistan Cup Winner: 2014
* Turkmenistan Super Cup Winner: 2014
* Turkmenistan Super Cup Runner-up: 2015