TASHKENT — A last-minute strike from Davronbek Khashimov ensured Uzbekistan champion Pakhtakor salvaged a share of the spoils in a highly entertaining 2-2 draw with two-time Asian champion Al-Hilal of Saudi Arabia in Group C of the AFC Champions League Wednesday.
Yasser Al-Qahtani’s 60th minute goal broke the deadlock at Pakhtakor Stadium before the hos’s stand-out player Igor Sergeev leveled the scores 10 minutes later.
And then second half substitute Yousef Al-Salem thought he had given Al-Hilal all three points with his close-range finish on 84 minutes only for Khashimov’s late screamer to ensure the sides split the points.
A closely-fought first half resulted in few opportunities on goal, but just before the break the host did have two clear-cut chances to take the lead through striker Sergeev.
With 20 minutes left, Hilal’s Sharahili gifted Pakhtakor a way back into the tie as his attempted clearance went only as far as the alert Sergeev who let fly from the edge of the area and found the bottom corner of the net.
Host leveled the scores with just two minutes left. Khashimov received the ball from Jamshid Iskanderov 25 yards out and let fly with a fizzing low shot that zipped past a wrong-footed Sharahili.
A penalty from leading scorer Besart Berisha gave Australian champion Melbourne Victory a first-up 2-1 win over China’s Shanghai SIPG in Melbourne.
Victory remains unbeaten in its last seven home games in the ACL, thanks to Berisha and a 31st-minute opener from newcomer Jai Ingham.
Albanian Berisha provided the pass to Kosta Barbarouses, who was brought down on the edge of the area by Lu Wenjun for Melbourne’s spot kick in the 73rd minute.
Before the penalty the Chinese Super League team coached by Sven-Goran Eriksson equalised through Wu Lei in the 52nd minute, and also had a number of late chances.
Victory goalkeeper Danny Vukovic saved a Wu shot with his feet with six minutes of regulation time left, before the influential Argentine Dario Conca unleashed a thunderous volley which beat the flying Vukovic only to cannon off the post.
Shanghai SIPG paid 18.5 million euros ($20.3 million) to sign Brazilian striker Elkeson from Guangzhou Evergrande last month. Conca became the world’s third highest paid player, behind only Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo and Barcelona’s Lionel Messi, when he signed for Guangzhou Evergrande in 2011 before joining Shanghai SIPG a year ago.
Melbourne Victory will face Gamba Osaka in Japan next week, with Shanghai SIPG at home to South Korea’s Suwon Samsung Bluewings in the next round in Group G.
In other matches, Suwon Samsung Bluewings of Korea drew goalless with Gamba Osaka of Japan and Guangzhou Evergrande of China also drew with Pohang Steelers of Korea 0-0.
Leverkusen’s Schmidt hit with five-match ban, fine
Bayer Leverkusen coach Roger Schmidt was Wednesday banned from the bench for five league games and fined 20,000 euros ($22,031) after refusing a referee’s order to leave the touchline during a Bundesliga match.
The German Football Association (DFB) has taken a hard line with Schmidt, who is banned for the next three league games, against Mainz, Werder Bremen and Augsburg, with a further two games suspended until June 30 2017.
Leverkusen’s director of sport Rudi Voeller has also been fined 10,000 euros after describing the referee’s decision to send Schmidt to the stands as ‘completely unnecessary’ during a post-match rant.
