Al Ahli claim vital win over Nasaf

Posted Wednesday, April 08, 2015 by Foxsports.com

UAE champions Al Ahli recorded their first win of their 2015 AFC Champions League campaign on Tuesday when they beat Nasaf 1-0.

UAE champions Al Ahli recorded their first win of their 2015 AFC Champions League campaign on Tuesday when they beat Nasaf 1-0.
The result means the Emirati club are now above their Uzbek rivals on the day in second place in Group D behind their namesakes from Saudi Arabia.
The first half at the Karshi Central Stadium produced few clear-cut opportunities as both sides tried to gain the ascendancy in the midfield.
The best chance of the half fell to Nasaf forward Ilkhom Shomurodov in the 27th minute, when a ball over the top put the striker in a one on one situation with Ahmed Mahmoud, who was standing in for the suspended Majed Naser, but he could not beat the on-rushing keeper with his shot.
After the interval, Nasaf captain Artur Gevorkyan went close with a 25-yard freekick, but Mahmoud managed to get fingertips to the shot and it flew over the crossbar.
Al Ahli was starting to see more of the ball as the half progressed but Nasaf went close to breaking the deadlock in the 75th minute when his sweetly struck volley from 20 yards went just wide of the top corner with the keeper beaten.
Five minutes later, though, Al Ahli broke the deadlock when their captain Luis Jimenez broke through the centre of midfield and found Everton Ribeiro on the right wing.
The Brazilian then beat Roj Rok and shot, but his attempt was blocked by Nasaf defender Erkin Baydullaev, however, the ball swerved and swung past the wrong-footed Eldorbek Suyunov.
Nasaf substitute Shohruh Gadoev had a chance in injury time to level matters but his shot from 12 yards was deflected behind for a corner kick, which resulted in nothing.