AFC Champions League 2019: Lokomotiv Tashkent come back from two goals down to beat Al Rayyan 3-2

Fans at Lokomotiv Stadium were treated to a fine display of attacking football as PFC Lokomotiv came from two goals down to defeat Al Rayyan 3-2 on Matchday Six of the 2019 AFC Champions League Group B on Tuesday, AFC website reports.

Both teams had already been eliminated prior to their last group game with Lokomotiv sitting third with four points, while Al Rayyan were bottom of the group with three points from their 2-1 win in the reverse fixture.

The visitors got off to a flying start, taking the lead within just 57 seconds of kick-off. Lokomotiv players looked shaky in possession as they attempted to build up from the back, allowing Al Rayyan players to apply pressure high up the field.

Goalkeeper Mamur Ikramov failed to deal with a backpass, hoofing the ball into the path of Rodrigo Tabata who intercepted the ball inside the box and fired into the back of the net to hand Al Rayyan the perfect start.

Things looked rosier for coach Gilson de Souza in his final game in charge of Al Rayyan as the Qataris doubled their lead halfway through the opening period.

Tabata curled an out-swinging corner that was met by the head of Gonzalo Viera who placed his header into the bottom corner to make it 2-0.

A lapse in concentration allowed Lokomotiv a way back into the game as Husniddin Gafurov supplied an outside-of-the-boot pass for Sardor Mirzayev who found himself in plenty of space inside Al Rayyan box and curled in his side’s first of the game.

The goal gave the home side a morale boost and Andrey Fedorov’s men came from the halftime break a different side.

Within just two minutes of the restart, Arslanmurat Amanov had advanced down the right and played a cross-field pass to Temurkhuja Abdukholikov who controlled and calmly placed the ball past Al Rayyan goalkeeper Fahd Younis from a tight angle to bring the match to square one.

Amanov and Abdukholikov combined again to seal the win for Lokomotiv in the 61st minute in a similar fashion to the side’s second goal.

This time around, Amanov dribbled deeper into Al Rayyan’s box before whipping a low cross that Abdukholikov met first time into the back of the net to complete the hosts’ comeback.

The result means Lokomotiv ended the campaign with seven points in third place, four points better off than Al Rayyan who finished in last place.