AFC Champions League Two
The result moves Wesam Rizik’s side onto nine points from five games and maintains their challenge for a top two finish in Group B ahead of their final group match against Saudi Arabia’s Al Taawoun in Baghdad next week.
Ahmet Atayew’s seventh minute own goal gave the visitors the lead and Hiran Azad doubled the advantage in the 31st minute as Air Force secured their third win in the group phase having also previously defeated the Yokary Liga side in September’s opening round of matches.
Air Force goalkeeper Ali Ibadi made a flying save to keep out Selim Nurmyradov’s free-kick from more than 35 yards out with only four minutes on the clock and, three minutes later, the visitors had taken the lead.
Mustafa Waleed bent his free-kick from the right towards goal and Altyn Asyr’s Atayew flicked the ball over a flat-footed Batyr Babayev to put the Iraqis in front.
By the 31st minute the Iraqis had doubled their lead, Azad stepping inside from the right past two challenges before hitting an unstoppable right-foot strike past Babayev from well outside the penalty area.
Azad continued to cause problems for the home defence and, with a minute left in the half, he fired another attempt from distance goalward, but this time the ball flew over Babayev’s goal to safety.
Substitute Arslan Saparov squandered the opportunity to halve the deficit two minutes after the restart when he lashed his shot wide from close range after being found in space close to goal by Begenchmyrat Myradov’s low cross from the right.
Mihail Titov was denied in the 62nd minute when his header was straight at Ibadi as he met Rovshengeldi Halmammedov’s centre, the goalkeeper scooping the ball into the air before Ruslan Hanoon cleared for a corner.
Mustafa Saadoon could have put the seal on the win for Air Force with 10 minutes remaining when he was one-on-one with Babayev but his attempt to slip the ball between the goalkeeper’s legs was thwarted.
A sprawling Ibadi then touched Saparov’s attempt wide when he dived to his left moments later at the other end to leave the Iraqis to close out the win.
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