FC Istiklol stay strong to seal AFC Cup final berth
Bengaluru: Tajikistan’s FC Istiklol will appear in a second AFC Cup final in three years after a 2-2 draw with JSW Bengaluru of India in the second leg of the Inter-Zone final on Wednesday secured a 3-2 aggregate win to book a date with holders Air Force Club of Iraq next month.
Istiklol opened the scoring though Nuriddin Davronov’s fourth-minute penalty at Sree Kanteerava Stadium before Rahul Bheke drew the hosts level, only for Harmanjot Khabra to see red shortly before half-time.
The visitors went back in front through Dmitri Barkov as the hour approached although Sunil Chhetri’s penalty gave Bengaluru hope, but there were no further goals as Istiklol maintained their unbeaten run in the competition to return to the final.
The game got off to the worst possible start for the hosts as goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh upended Fatkhullo Fatkhuloev in the box in the third minute and Davronov dispatched the ensuing penalty to give Istiklol a valuable away goal.
But Bengaluru came back strongly and defender Bheke headed in Udanta Singh’s inch-perfect delivery midway through the half for a deserved equaliser.
With the crowd in full voice, Albert Roca’s side were controlling the game and Chhetri fired against the bar from eight yards on the half hour after good work from Singh and Daniel Lalhlimpuia (pictured below) down the right.
But Bengaluru’s task was made all the more difficult five minutes before the interval when Khabra was dismissed after a foul on Manuchehr Dzhalilov, which earned him a second yellow card.
Istiklol went back in front on 56 minutes when captain Fatkhuloev played in Dzhalilov, who crossed for Russian Barkov to tap home his second goal in two games against the Indian team.
The Tajik champions were now threatening to run away with the tie and Davronov fizzed a left-foot effort from 20 yards just wide soon after the hour.
But the home side were thrown a lifeline in the 65th minute when Lalhlimpuia was brought down by Oleksandr Stetsenko and Chhetri held his nerve to convert from the spot and draw level once more.
As end-to-end action ensued, Davronov’s effort from close in was saved by Singh and Bengaluru held on, but as the game entered the final 10 minutes they still required two goals.
Despite throwing everything at the Tajik side, a third goal was not forthcoming and Istiklol will now have the chance to make up for their final defeat to Johor Darul Ta’zim two years ago.
Photos: FC Istiklol & JSW Bengaluru
Source: the-afc.com
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