AFC – Former World Player of
the Year Rivaldo scored on his AFC Champions League debut for Kuruvchi (Bunyodkor)
but Saipa twice recovered from deficits to hold the Uzbek side to a 2-2 draw
on Wednesday.
The Brazilian struck in the 19th minute to restore his side’s lead just a
minute after Iman Razaghirad’s powerful header had cancelled out Jose Luis
Villanueva’s opening goal.
But Kianoush Rahmati’s deflected free-kick late in the first half brought
Saipa back on level terms.
Villanueva hit the woodwork in the second half while Kuruvchi keeper Pavel
Bugalo made good saves to deny Jalal Hosseini and Traore, setting up an
interesting return match in Tashkent in a weeks’ time.
After a cagey start, the game burst into life in the 12th minute when the
visitors took the lead.
Server Djeparov swung over a corner from the right and Jasur Hasanov
out-jumped goalkeeper Vahid Sheikhveisi to flick the ball on to Luizao, who
crashed his effort against the right post.
Villaneuva was first to the rebound, firing into the roof of the net from
point blank range.
The home side were back on level terms six minutes later after good work
from Omid Sharifnasab, who floated over an inviting cross from the right
flank that was headed into the net by Iman Razaghirad
But with the Saipa fans still celebrating, Kuruvchi quickly regained the
lead a minute later. Rivaldo flicked on to Villaneuva, whose quick return
pass released the Brazilian who strolled through before stroking the ball
past Sheikhveisi.
Rivaldo was then presented with an opportunity when Kuruvchi were awarded a
free-kick on the edge of the Saipa box on the half-hour but his weak effort
did little to trouble Sheikhveisi
The Iranians levelled the score with a fortuitous equaliser in the 39th
minute.
Rahmati’s weak free-kick from 25 metres should have caused little trouble
for Bugalo but the ball took a wicked deflection off a defender,
wrong-footing the Kuruvchi goalkeeper and rolling agonisingly into the
bottom right corner of the net.
Villaneuva nearly restored the visitors’ lead 10 minutes into the second
half when he gathered a cross from Djuraev and fired a shot that hit the
base of the left upright and ricocheted across the face of goal into the
grateful arms of Sheikhveisi.
Saipa had the better of the chances in the second half with Mohammad Parvin
firing a free-kick narrowly wide in the 64th minute before Bugalo tipped
over a Hosseini header 12 minutes later.
In stoppage time, Hossein Kaebi rolled a shot across the face of goal before
Bugalo made a brilliant save to keep out an Issa Traore header in what was
the final effort of the game.
