Pakhtakor qualifies as Andreev seals 2-1 win over Saba in the Asian Champions League

Asian Champions League Roundup

TASHKENT, Uzbekistan — Pakhtakor is through to the second round of the Asian Champions League, after rallying to defeat Iran’s Saba Battery 2-1 in Group A on Wednesday.

The Uzbekistan side fell behind in the fifth minute to a goal from Mohammad Nori, but drew level in the 36th minute when Odil Ahmedov converted a penalty.

Stanislav Andreev struck the winner after 49 minutes.

Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal will join them in the knock-out stage if it can get a point from its final two games, after a 3-1 victory at Al Ahli in Dubai.

In Group C Al Ittihad missed the chance to book its place in the knock-out stages after the Saudi Arabia side was held to a 1-1 by Al Jazira of the United Arab Emirates, while Iranian side Esteghlal’s chances look increasingly slim after it drew 1-1 with Qatar’s Umm Salal in Tehran.

Bohrani Arash put the Iranian side in front in the final minute of the first half, but Saud Ghanem equalized for the visitors on 70 minutes, lobbing keeper Vahid Talebloo.

In Group E Yoshizumi’s Ogawa scored a fortunate goal to give Japan’s Nagoya Grampus a 1-0 win at the Newcastle Jets.

On 57 minutes the ball was deflected into Keita Sugimoto’s path by the referee and this set up Ogawa for the only goal, though the Australian side missed a glorious chance to draw level on 76 minutes when Seigo Narazaki saved a Sasho Petrovski penalty.

Nagoya heads Group E with eight points, two more than Ulsan Hyundai, which jumped into second place after a 1-0 win at Beijing Guoan thanks to a goal on 70 minutes from Oh Jang-eun. Beijing is third with four points, ahead of Newcastle on goal difference.

Kashima Antlers went joint top of Group G on goal difference after a 5-0 win over Singapore Armed Forces, which has yet to pick up a point.

Shinzo Koroki scored in each half for the Japanese champion, with Takuya Nozawa, Mitsuo Ogasawara and Yuya Osako also getting goals.

Suwon Bluewings dropped to second place, despite rallying to beat Shanghai Shenhua 2-1. Lee Sang-ho and Bae Ki-jong scored two goals in the last five minutes of the first half for the Bluewings, after Yanko Valkanov gave the visitors from China the lead.

The South Korean side’s keeper Park Ho-jin saved a penalty for the second consecutive match, keeping out Hernan Barcos’ shot to deny Shenhua an equalizer.