Nasaf sounded a warning with an attempt as early as the seventh minute when Bobir Abdixolikov was given space to make a half-turn inside the box but dragged his shot just wide.

The home side went even closer six minutes later from a Zoran Marusic curling shot that looked destined for the top corner had it not been for Abdulrahman Marzouq who flew to his right to tip the ball over.

It was all Nasaf as they created chance after chance, going agonisingly close in the 33rd minute following a wonderful interchange between Javokhir Sidikov and Stefan Colovic which ended with Sidikov’s effort trickling wide.

Their dominance was finally rewarded in the 43rd minute when Kuwait SC failed to deal with a long throw into the box with the ball eventually bouncing towards Marusic, whose volley proved too hot for Marzouq to handle.

The match turned on its head just seconds into the second half when Sidikov brought down Faisal Zayed in the box, prompting a penalty to be awarded to Kuwait SC which was converted by Yahya Jabrane in the 47th minute.

Things got better for Kuwait SC eight minutes later when a miskick by Dilshodjon Komilov saw the ball fall into the path of Egyptian forward Amoory, who chipped home over Nematov.

To their credit, Nasaf pushed hard for an equaliser but it was to no avail with their misery further compounded by Nematov being shown a straight red card in stoppage time, the defeat leaving them on four points and out of the competition.