Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Riyadh: Reigning AFC Young Player of the Year Dostonbek Khamdamov scored twice but a late free kick from veteran Hussain Abdulghani rescued a point for Al Nassr who salvaged a 3-3 draw against Uzbekistan’s Bunyodkor in an action-packed Group B opener in the 2016 AFC Champions League on Tuesday.
Khamdamov scored either side of a header from Chaker Zouaghi as the Tashkent-based side looked set to make a winning start to their continental campaign in the club’s first competitive game of the season.
The 19-year-old put Bunyodkor in front following a horrendous error by Al Nassr goalkeeper Abdullah Al Enezi after just three minutes and Zougahi doubled his side’s advantage 30 minutes later.
Adrian Mierzejewski struck from the penalty spot late in the half to pull one back for Al Nassr, but Khamadmov restored Bunyodkor’s two-goal cushion 15 minutes from time.
A Yahya Al Shehri strike from outside the area five minutes later ensured a nervous end to the game for Sergey Lushchan’s side, and Abdulghani – who passed a late fitness test to start – was the hero for the Riyadh giants, scoring with a fine free kick five minutes from time to ensure the points were shared.
“The match was very hard for both sides but we managed to put in a good performance which entertained the fans,” said Lushchan. “We built up the advantage in the match but Al Nassr managed to get back into the game after we made three mistakes.
“We could have got a win today had we taken advantage of our chances early in the second period. When we conceded the second goal, this affected our players while Al Nassr pushed forward towards the end of the match looking for an equaliser and they managed to score.”
The Saudis made the worst possible start when the Riyadh side went a goal behind with less than three minutes on the clock due to a goalkeeping error by Abdullah Al Enezi.
Al Enezi’s attempted clearance went only as far as Khamdamov, and the youngster steadied himself before calmly curling his left foot shot into the far corner of the goal with aplomb.
Bunyodkor could have doubled their advantage inside the first 10 minutes when Akramjon Komilov’s teasing low cross was met by Zabikhillo Urinboev, but his weak attempt at goal gave Al Nassr captain Abdulghani time to hack the ball clear.
By the 33rd minute, though, the Uzbek side had claimed a second, with Urinboev crossing from the right and Zouaghi rising ahead of the Al Nassr defence to head home with confidence.
Al Nassr, though, finally roused themselves in the dying minutes of the half.
Mierzejewski hit the post with a minute remaining of normal time and, with the game just ticking over into additional time, the Pole pulled one back from the penalty spot after Rustamjon Ashurmatov had brought Shaya Sharahili down just inside the area.
Naif Hazazi forced Bunyodkor goalkeeper Murotjon Zukhurov into action in the 62nd minute when he headed goalward, but with 15 minutes to go Khamdamov looked to have sealed the win for the Uzbeks with a confident shot from just inside the Al Nassr penalty area.
Al Shehri’s strike – which Zukhurov should have dealt with – gave Al Nassr hope in the dying minutes, and 1996 AFC Asian Cup winner Abdulghani sealed a remarkable comeback five minutes from the end when he bent his free kick around the Bunyodkor wall, beating Zukhurov to his right as Al Nassr claimed a point.
“The start of the match was not what we expected as we conceded two goals in the first half,” said Al Nassr goalkeeper coach Rene Higuita. “However, in the second half we tried our best and managed to make a comeback before levelling the scores in the last minutes.
“The result is disappointing but at the end of the day we still managed to get a point. Bunyodkor are a good team and they played very well. But by coming back to get this result it shows that we also have good players who have fighting spirit.”
Photo: Lagardere Sports