Nasaf lose 2–1 to Al Wahda at home in AFC Champions League Two

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PFC Nasaf lost 2–1 to the United Arab Emirates’ Al Wahda at home in Karshi on October 14, with Argentine forward Facundo Kruspzky scoring twice in the first half before Bobur Abdikholikov’s deflected effort sparked a second-half fightback that fell just short.

Nasaf

The Group A match was Nasaf’s second in the 2026/27 AFC Champions League Two campaign. Al Wahda secured their second consecutive win to reach six points, while Nasaf remain third with one point.

Nasaf threatened early, with Adenis Shala forcing Al Wahda goalkeeper Facundo Lirussi into a save with a low shot in the fourth minute. At the other end, Abduvokhid Nematov denied former Belgium international Christian Benteke from close range.

Al Wahda broke the deadlock in the 23rd minute. Kruspzky found space on the edge of the penalty area and fired past Nematov to put the visitors ahead.

Nasaf had a chance to equalize in the 38th minute after Al Wahda defender Amenallah El Majhed handled the ball in the penalty area. Nematov stepped up to take the spot kick, but Lirussi guessed correctly and dived to his left to save it.

The missed penalty proved costly. A minute later, Kruspzky collected a through ball from Gnezda Cerin and struck from around 18 yards, sending the ball into the bottom-left corner to double Al Wahda’s lead before halftime.

Nasaf pulled one back just two minutes into the second half. Sardorbek Bakhromov unleashed a powerful shot from around 20 yards, and the ball deflected off substitute Abdikholikov before wrong-footing Lirussi and bouncing into the bottom-right corner.

The goal revived the hosts’ hopes, and they created several opportunities to level the score. Their clearest chance came in the 79th minute, when Abdikholikov headed wide of the left post with only the goalkeeper to beat.

Nasaf continued to press in the closing stages. Paata Ghudushauri struck the crossbar in the 86th minute, and Diyorbek Abdunazarov hit the right post a minute later. Neither effort found the net, and Al Wahda held on for the win.

Nasaf will play their next group-stage match at home against Kuwait’s Al Kuwait on October 28.

The AFC Champions League Two is the continent’s second-tier club competition, below the AFC Champions League Elite. It features 32 teams divided into eight groups across the West and East regions, with the top two teams in each group advancing to the knockout stage.