 Pakhtakor 1-3 Al Shabab Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) --
Two opportunistic goals from Flavio helped Al Shabab claim a 3-1 victory over Pakhtakor in Wednesday’s AFC Champions League Group C game at Pakhtakor Stadium.
The Angolan forward headed Al Shabab into a 61st minute lead and doubled their advantage 12 minutes later with a clinical finish.
Substitute Alisher Azizov halved the deficit with a smart header 10 minutes from the end but Ahmed Al Kaabi sealed the points with a breakaway goal deep into stoppage time.
The opening 45 minutes saw defences on top as chances proved few and far between.
Camacho linked up well with Flavio in the 26th minute but his shot from 20 yards was easily held by goalkeeper Temur Juraev while at the other end, Odil Ahmedov managed to get round the back of the Al Shabab defence but his low ball across the six-yard box was cleared.
Ahmed Ateef then worked an opening for himself on the left of the Pakhtakor box just after the half-hour mark but blazed well wide as the first-half ended goalless.
The second period began in the same vein as the first although Pakhtakor nearly took the lead in the 55th minute but Milorad Janjus' header from Stanislav Andreev's corner hit the top of the bar.
Al Shabab then took the lead just after the hour mark thanks to some generous defending from the home side.
Camacho whipped in a free-kick from the left and the static Pakhtakor backline stood and watched as Flavio nipped in to beat Juraev to the ball and glance a header into the back of the net.
The Angolan then made it 2-0 in the 73rd minute when he was put through and beat the advancing Juraev at his near post with a smart finish.
Abdulmalek Al Khabri then lifted a shot over the bar when well placed in a moment of respite from Pakhtakor's pressure before the hosts pulled a goal back with 10 minutes remaining.
Andreev received the ball down the left flank and his beautiful delivery was met by substitute Azizov, who steered a header into the far corner from six yards out.
Pakhtakor desperately searched for an equaliser but the Al Shabab defence stood firm in the face of a succession of long balls pumped into the box.
Azizov had a chance with two minutes to go but his overhead kick after the ball had bounced around in the box was well over the bar.
A mazy run from Ahmedov five minutes into stoppage time ended with the forward playing in Azizov on the left of the box but a brilliant last-ditch tackle from Hassan Muath snuffed out the chance before substitute Al Kaabi sewed up the points with a breakaway goal shortly afterwards. |
