AFC Asian Qualifiers
Soirov pounced 10 minutes from time at a packed Pamir Stadium to cancel out Firas Al Brikan’s 46th minute opener and end Saudi Arabia’s perfect start to their Group G campaign.
However, Roberto Mancini’s side still lead the standings with 10 points from their first four matches while Tajikistan move onto five points with both nations due to face Jordan and Pakistan in June.
It was the home side who looked the most likely to open the scoring, with Shahrom Samiev shooting wide with less than a minute on the clock.
Alisher Dzalilov then headed over the bar as Tajikistan continued their bright start while Amadoni Kamolov’s eighth minute strike from the edge of the area was only narrowly wide of Mohammed Al Owais’ left post.
A delay due to a floodlight failure allowed both teams to regroup and, when play resumed, Mohammed Kanno sent his header straight into the hands of goalkeeper Rustam Yatimov with the goal at his mercy following Mohammed Al Burayk’s clipped pass from the right.
Kanno scuffed a weak effort from the edge of the area through to Yatimov with the game deep into added time at the end of the first half, and there was enough time for Samiev to see his free-kick denied by Al Owais’ acrobatic save before the halftime whistle sounded.
Within seconds of the restart the Saudis took the lead. Kanno fed the ball out wide to his Al Hilal club mate Al Burayk, whose first-time cross from the right found the head of Al Brikan, and the Al Ahli forward made no mistake as he nodded a downward effort beyond Yatimov.
Eighteen minutes later the visitors should have doubled their advantage when Salem Al Dawsari slid the ball into Abdullah Radif, whose first touch took him into space 20 yards from goal but his shot was high over the bar.
Saudi Arabia were to regret that miss when, with 10 minutes remaining, Tajikistan levelled. Dazlilov released Kamolov down the right channel and his first time centre into the six-yard box was volleyed into the roof of the net for a delighted Soirov to earn his team a point.
