AFC Champions League Elite
Having weathered heavy pressure in the first half, Ali oversaw a reversal in the second half with Hazem Shehata bagging the winner in the 51st minute to end Al Rayyan’s three-match losing run and revive their progression chances as the Qatari side moved into the knockout stage spots with four matches to go.
#ACLElite | Pakhtakor (UZB) 0 - 1 Al Rayyan SC (QAT)
"We collected three valuable points. Pakhtakor were the better side at the beginning of the first half and created many scoring opportunities but we succeeded in taking the lead in the second half after improving our level,” said Ali.
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"We knew that we would play under pressure in the first 25 minutes, and it was difficult for us to stop Pakhtakor's crosses during the first half, but the match changed in the second half and we were the better side and succeeded in creating many opportunities.
"All teams still have hope in the tournament, as a point or two will make a difference in the standings in the end.”
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A win continues to elude Pakhtakor, who were left to rue defeat despite a bright start to the match and with only two points on the board, things are looking bleak for the Uzbekistan outfit but head coach Kamoliddin Tadjiev refused to concede defeat.
"The first half was completely dominated by us,” said Tadjiev. “We clearly created several scoring opportunities.
“I don't know what happened in the second half, to be honest. Maybe the players stayed in the dressing room. You saw the goal yourself, the pass from nothing turned into a goal."
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“As you can see, it is very competitive. All teams are losing points. The teams at the top of the table are also losing points so it’s not impossible for us to recover from this.”
The next round of matches on November 25 will be vital for both teams as they each take on Islamic Republic of Iran sides, with Al Rayyan facing Persepolis FC while Pakhtakor take on Esteghlal FC.