Doha/Tashkent: It was a day of contrasting fortunes for Qatari teams at the AFC Champions League (ACL) yesterday.
While Qatar Stars League (QSL) leaders Lekhwiya earned an important 1-0 win over Bunyodkor in Doha, Lokomotiv inflicted a 5-0 defeat on former champions Al Sadd at Tashkent.
Lokomotiv’s victory means the race to qualify for the last-16 from Group C is wide open but Bunyodkor’s loss leaves them on the verge of elimination.
In Tashkent, Marat Bikmaev scored twice inside the first 15 minutes and the Uzbek side added three more in the second half as they exacted revenge on Al Sadd, who had won their first leg clash 6-2 in Doha last month.
The win helped Lokomotiv move up to third spot with four points and open up Group C where all four teams now entertain hopes of qualifying for the next phase.
Coach Vadim Abramov had demanded a reaction from his players after their humiliation in Doha and they responded in style with a seventh minute strike from Bikmaev, who tapped in a rebound after Ikromjon Alibaev’s effort was parried by goalkeeper Muhannad Naim.
Bikmaev doubled the lead in the 14th minute after knocking down a cross from Jasur Khasanov and drilled a left-footer past the goalkeeper.
Sanjar Shaakhmedov made it 3-0 in the 54th minute to all but seal the result before substitutes Damir Kojasevic and Ruslan Korian put the issue beyond doubt in the final 10 minutes.
In Doha, a solitary goal from Vladimir Weiss in the 43rd minute was enough for Lekhwiya.
Weiss’s goal ensured that Lekhwiya remain in contention for a place in the Round of 16, just two points behind Group A leaders Persepolis.
The Iranians lead the way with nine points while Saudi Arabia’s Al Nassr fill third spot, two points behind Lekhwiya with Bunyodkor rooted to the bottom with only one point from their opening four games.
Lekhwiya dominated possession in the opening 45 minutes, and it was thanks to a fine individual effort from Weiss that the hosts took the lead.
Weiss picked the ball up just inside the penalty area before edging ahead of Dostonbek Khamdamov and curling his shot beyond Akbar Turaev with the outside of his right foot.
The Qataris pushed for a second throughout the second half, with Sebastian Soria denied by Bunyodkor goalkeeper Turaev 18 minutes from time while, seven minutes later, the Uruguay-born Qatar international spurned another chance, this time shooting over the bar from close range.
More heroics from Turaev in the dying minutes ensured Bunyodkor stayed in with a chance of picking up something from the game, but the Uzbek side were incapable of building on the performance of their goalkeeper and slipped to a third loss of the 2015 competition. AGENCIES
