ACL 2015 – Group D: Nasaf 2-1 Tractorsazi Tabriz

the-AFC.com – KARSHI, Uzbekistan’s Nasaf claimed their first-ever AFC Champions League win on Wednesday as second-half goals from Ilkhom Shomurodov and Khamza Karimov secured a 2-1 comeback win over Iran’s Tractorsazi Tabriz.

Brazilian Edinho had opened the scoring for Iranian Hazfi Cup winners Tractorsazi after 31 minutes only for Shomurodov to equalise for 2011 AFC Cup winners Nasaf at the start of the second half.

And with Karimov adding a second just eight minutes later, 2002 Asian Club Championship semi-finalists Nasaf claimed all three points having failed to win on their AFC Champions League debut in 2012.

Both sides made a strong start in freezing temperatures in front of an 11,000 crowd at Karshi Central Stadium, although chances were limited in the first half.

Nasaf’s Ukrainian striker Oleksandr Kablash wasted a good chance after just six minutes following a cross from Artur Gevorkyan before home goalkeeper Eldorbek Suyunov was called into action to deny Farshad Amhadzadeh four minutes later.

But after Kablash was denied by Tractorsazi goalkeeper Hamed Lak, the visitors took the lead as Edinho headed home Ahmad Kamdar’s cross 14 minutes before half-time.

Nasaf, though, needed less than a minute of the second half to draw level as Shomurodov was first to react after his attempted pass to Gevorkyan was blocked and the striker beat Lak from outside of the penalty area.

And eight minutes later Nasaf completed the quick-fire comeback as Gevorkyan’s free-kick into the penalty area was headed home by Karimov.

Turkmenistan striker Gevorkyan, who was named the Uzbek League top scorer in 2014 with 18 goals as Nasaf finished third, and Kablash both then missed chances to put the result beyond doubt.

But fortunately for Nasaf, Tractorsazi were unable to find a response as Andranik Teymourian and Mehdi Kiani both wasted chances in the closing stages.