“We’re quite satisfied with our performance,” said Khakimov. “We showcased a confident game and capitalised on our chances. Of course, there’s still more work to be done, but right now, we’re content with how we played.”

The Uzbek side will now face the challenge of Islamic Republic of Iran’s Persepolis FC, who stunned Japan’s Vissel Kobe with a 2-1 aggregate win in their quarter-final, but an undaunted Khakimov claimed they would be ready with more than one trick up their sleeves.

“We have faith in our abilities. The semi-final will be tough, but we have good chances to win. The key is to stay focused and play our game,” he said.

“We will continue to prepare thoroughly, analyse the Persepolis team, work on different tactical schemes, and pay attention to the small details. Moreover, we will also focus on our mindset and psychological readiness.”

Meanwhile, the Iranian duo of Hassan Pajani and Mahdi Ezzati, representing Persepolis FC, are also optimistic after their gallant performance in the last eight.

“We had trained quite hard, so we were prepared for all kinds of situations. Now our attention is on booking our place in the final, for which I think we have a good shot.”

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