Denis Titov, a former player for the Turkmenistan youth national team and a midfielder for “Rostov”, made his debut for the club’s first team in a competitive match, coming on as a substitute in the game against “Akron” from Togliatti in the opening round of the group stage of the Russian Cup.

The 19-year-old footballer, a product of Ashgabat’s “Phoenix”, came on in the 83rd minute with the score at 4–0 to “Rostov”. The match took place in Samara and ended in a 4–0 victory for Rostov. The goals were scored by Olakunle Olusegun (5th minute), Yaroslav Mikhailov (7th), Imran Aznaurov (50th) and Danila Prokhin (65th).

Titov had previously spent half a season on loan at “Neftekhimik” in Nizhnekamsk, who play in the First League. Before that, he had spent three years in the “Rostov” academy, and last season he scored eight goals in 23 appearances for the club’s youth team.

In an interview with “Neftekhimik’s” press office, Titov remarked that Ashgabat remains his home town. “My home and the place I love! This city is very important to me. After all, the people close to me are there,” he said.

Titov began his football career at the age of six with the Ashgabat-based team “Phoenix”, where his first coach was Batyr Berdyev – the brother of the renowned coach Kurban Berdyev. “I’m proud that my first coach was the brother of a famous football manager. It was he who laid the foundations for my future development,” the midfielder remarked.

Titov joined “Rostov” after the club’s scouts spotted him whilst he was playing for the Turkmenistan youth team at a youth tournament in Jordan in 2022.

Denis’s older brother, Mikhail Titov, currently plays for the Kyrgyz club “Uzgen” and is called up to play for the Turkmenistan national team.