AFC Champions League: Al-Sadd held to 2-2 draw by Pakhtakor

Al-Sadd were held to a 2-2 draw by Pakhtakor in Matchday 3 of the 2019 AFC Champions League on Tuesday.

Xavi gave Al-Sadd the lead twice but Pakhtakor came back on both occasions through Alidjanov and Cera to equalise. The point takes Al-Sadd’s tally to 4 and keeps them in second place in Group D, behind leaders Pakhtakor who have five points.

The match began with great intensity shown from the Al-Sadd players, and Xavi managed to find the breakthrough in the sixth minute with a brilliant first-time effort from the edge of the box.

Three minutes later, Alidjanov struck the equaliser for Pakhtakor with a fierce and unstoppable shot from over thirty yards out that went in past Meshaal Barsham in the Al-Sadd goal.

In the 16th minute, Xavi scored again for Al-Sadd, this time from a free-kick. He curled the ball over the wall to give his side a 2-1 lead which lasted almost until the end of the first half but Pakhtakor came back again, through Dragan Ceran’s header in the 41st minute which ensured a stalemate at halftime.

Al-Sadd pressed forward in the second half, using the attacking trio of Xavi, Akram Afif and Bounedjah but were unable to make a serious foray.

Head coach Jesualdo Ferreira brought on Hassan Al-Haydos in the 60th minute, in place of Yasir Abubakar. Bounedjah then had a couple of chances, only to see his efforts fail to threaten the Pakhtakor goal.

The status quo remained as it was for the rest of the game, leading to the 2-2 draw which saw the two teams share the spoils.

MATCH DETAILS:

Al-Sadd x Pakhtakor (AFC Champions League Matchday 3 – Group D)

Venue:

Pakhtakor Markaziy Stadium

Lineups:

Al-Sadd: Meshaal Barsham, Pedro Miguel, Khoukhi Boualem, Tarek Salman, Hamid Ismail, Gabi, Jung Woo-young (Salem Al-Hajri), Xavi (Ali Asad), Yasir Abubakar (Hassan Al-Haydos), Akram Afif, Baghdad Bounedjah

Pakhtakor: Khojiakbar Alijonov, Sadriddin Abdullaev (Sardor Sobirkhodjaev), Jaloliddin Masharipov, Dragan Ceran, Igor Sergeev (Marat Bikmaev), Dostonbek Khamdamov (Javokhir Sidikov ), Odiljon Khamrobekov, Sherzod Azamov, Vladimir Kozak, Farrukh Sayfiev, Sanjar Kuvvatov

Result:

2-2

Goals:

Xavi 6′, 16′

Khojiakbar Alijonov 9′

Jaloliddin Masharipov 41′

Bookings:

Pedro Miguel 32′

Akram Afif 47′

Referees:

Fu Ming (Main referee)

Huo Weiming (Linesman)

Wang Dexin (Linesman)

Chen Hsin-Chuan (Fourth official)