Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Tashkent: Anvar Berdyev scored a stoppage-time penalty as Neftchi fought back to draw 1-1 away at Lokomotiv in the Uzbek Pro League on Sunday.
As the match was heading for a disappointing domestic defeat for AFC Cup Group D side, Berdyev kept his head cool and converted the penalty to ensure at least a point from the match after the home side took the lead in the 11th minute through Armenian midfielder Jora Oganesyan.
The result put Neftchi seventh in the 14-team table with five points from three matches. They could still go top of the table having a match in hand as their previous fixture against ACL participating Nasaf was postponed last week. Tashkent giants Pakhtakor lead the table with eight points from four matches followed by Bunyodkor in second position with seven points from same number of matches.
Neftchi is a point behind leaders Al Wehdat in AFC Cup Group D and could seal a place in the knockout phase when they travel to Amman to face the Jordanians on April 24.
A Salgaocar win over travelling Al Arouba of Oman will also ensure Neftchi’s passage to the knockout stages regardless of their results against Al Wehdat.