Bunyodkor, Zobahan Share Points at AFC Champions League
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iran’s Zobahan football team played out a goalless draw with Uzbekistan’s Bunyodkor in Group B of the AFC Champions League on Wednesday.
The host had the better of the first half at Bunyodkor Stadium, but forwards Victor Karpenko and Bakhodir Nasimov were off target when presented with goalscoring opportunities.
Substitute Eldor Shomurodov then had four chances to win it for Bunyodkor in the second half, but was denied by goalkeeper Mazaheri on three occasions and off target with another as the sides shared the spoils.
Zobahan captain Mahdi Rajabzadeh then broke down the left before his low cross was palmed out by goalkeeper Murotjon Zukhurov and Kaveh Rezaei’s follow-up shot was blocked by the scrambling Bunyodkor defence.
Two minutes before the interval, the home side came closest to opening the scoring when the ball broke to Nasimov, but the frontman toe-poked narrowly wide after turning superbly on the edge of the area.
Mazaheri then pulled off an excellent double save to deny Shomurodov shortly after the restart before again saving from the striker when he headed straight at him from six yards.
The visitors had their best chance of the game on 55 minutes when Rezaei was off target from 15 yards with only Zukhurov to beat after a mistake by midfielder Otabek Shukurov.
But Shomurodov then had yet another chance to open the scoring 15 minutes from time only to curl wide from just inside the penalty area.