AFC Champions League Elite
The United Arab Emirates international came off the bench to score the winner after Favour Ogbu had nodded in a 53rd minute equaliser for the visitors, cancelling out Sardarbek Bakhromov's 43rd minute opener.
Al Wahda moved onto 10 points while Nasaf suffered a fourth consecutive defeat.
Al Wahda moved onto 10 points while Nasaf suffered a fourth consecutive defeat.
The visitors sounded an early alarm when Bernardo Folha surged into the penalty area and, although his progress was impeded by the home defence, his lay-off allowed Facundo Kruspzky to unleash a shot that rattled the crossbar.
Bakhromov tested Mohamed Al Shamsi at the other end in the 19th minute, the midfielder picking up possession near the halfway line before driving towards goal and hitting a skidding shot off the wet turf that the goalkeeper gathered at the second attempt.
That was a rare sight of goal in the opening 40 minutes for the hosts as Al Wahda dominated possession without creating many scoring opportunities.
Folha powered down the right in the 34th minute and his centre fell at the feet of Ruben Canedo after Mohammad Ghorbani saw his initial effort blocked, but he blasted his shot high over the bar. Kruspzky’s header was then easily gathered by Abduvakhid Nematov.
With two minutes remaining in the half, Nasaf went in front. Bakhromov was fed possession just outside the penalty area and the 20-year-old worked the ball onto his left foot from which he unleashed an unstoppable curling effort beyond Al Shamsi.
Seven minutes after the restart, Al Wahda pulled level. Dusan Tadic swung his free-kick from the left into the penalty area and Ogbu rose to direct a downward header past Nematov, who misjudged the flight of the ball and allowed it to slip past.
Husain Norchaev glanced his header across the face of goal and Dragan Ceran’s attempt soon after was blocked as Nasaf sought to restore their lead. Adenis Shala looked set to put his side back in front but slipped as he connected to send the ball well wide.
Nemetov denied Al Wahda substitute Caio Canedo with a little over a quarter of the game remaining but the Brazil-born winger pounced to score the winner with a minute remaining, heading in from close range after Nematov had saved Ghorbani’s initial effort.
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