Sepahan keep hopes alive

Neftchi Fergana 1 Sepahan 3
Neftchi Stadium, Fergana
AFC Champions League - Group D

Fergana, Uzbekistan - Sepahan, of Iran, maintained their hopes of qualifying for the last eight of the AFC Champions League after coming from behind to beat their Ukbekistan opponents on Tuesday night.

The win moves the Iran outfit to the top of the group on 10 points after five games, one ahead of Saudi giants Al Ittihad, who play later on Tuesday night against Al Arabi. Even if they do not get maximum points tonight, the Saudi outfit are marginal favourites to progress to the quarter-finals as their last game is against Neftchi, who have yet to earn a point in the Champions League.

Missing injured midfield duo Mansur Saidov and Bahrom Haydarov, as well as suspended defender Ravshan Mataliev, Neftchi's task was always going to be tough but it was the home side who, unexpectedly took the lead.

Just 10 minutes into the game Akmal Holmatov's pass found Umid Isakov inside the area and the club's all-time topscorer fired the ball into the far corner to open the scoring

Ten minutes later another Neftchi star, Anvar Berdiev, who has scored 111 league goals for the club, was through on goal with only the Sepahan keeper to beat the Slovak international goalie Kamil Susko managed to thwart the striker, who has just returned to action after 11 months on the sidelines with a knee injury.

Time and time again in the opening 30 minutes, the visitors were caught offside by the well-drilled home defence but on 32 minutes Mohammad Farshbaf beat the trap to level the score.

Sepahan took the lead in the dying seconds of the first half through Sayed Salehi.

The visitors wrapped up all three points 12 minutes after the re-start when Abdumajit Tairov's mistake let in Asghar Talebnasab who rounded the keeper and slotted home.