Lokomotiv 2-0 Al Ahli
Lokomotiv: Kutibaev 1', Bikmaev 57'
Al Ahli conceded within 18 seconds and, from there, their day did not really get any better.
The UAE champions, runners-up in the Asian Champions League two years ago, had opened their return to the continent last week with a last-minute victory against Iran’s Esteghlal, so they came into Monday’s encounter at Lokomotiv aiming to make it a maximum six points in Group A.
The Uzbeks – quarter-finalists last year – have yet to begin their domestic league, offering Ahli hope they could maintain their 100 per cent start to this campaign.
To add to the optimism, Lokomotiv had not scored in five of their past six Champions League matches and suffered defeat last week to Al Taawoun in Saudi Arabia.
However, it was Ahli who were caught cold in Tashkent.
Direct from kick-off, Lokomotiv’s players exchanged six passes before Marat Bikmaev crossed for Salamat Kutibaev to arrive unmarked in the visitors’ penalty area and power his header past Majed Naser.
It was the second-fastest goal in Champions League history.
Having stumbled out of the blocks, Ahli sought to regain a foothold. In fact, the Dubai club dominated for the remainder of the first half, playmaker Everton Ribeiro twice forcing Lokomotiv goalkeeper Ignatiy Nesterov into action.
First, the Brazilian almost scored direct from a corner kick.
Nine minutes later, he shot straight at Nesterov when played in on goal by Habib Fardan.
On 24 minutes Ahli’s plight got infinitely worse.
Asamoah Gyan, a late inclusion for the injured Ahmed Khalil, limped off the pitch after failing to shake off a problem he sustained not long after Lokomotiv’s opener, with Ahli made to call upon Saeed Jassim instead.
For all intents and purposes, he represented the back-up to the back-up.
It continues a worrying trait for both Ahli and Gyan as the Ghanaian striker has suffered from a series of niggling injuries following his loan move last August from China’s Shanghai SIPG.
As it is, Gyan has started only eight matches for the Dubai club – a statistic not helped by his recent Africa Cup of Nations commitments.
Still, with Gyan off and Khalil watching from the stands, Ahli pushed for the equaliser.
In the 25th minute, Fardan tempted Nesterov into a fine save low to his left, while shortly after that Makhete Diop had a goal harshly disallowed.
Much to Ahli’s dismay, the referee had spotted in the build-up what he deemed an infringement from Ahli defender Salmeen Khamis, rendering redundant Diop’s header from Ribeiro’s corner.
To their credit, Ahli remained committed to their task.
Yet Lokomotiv doubled the lead just before the hour mark.
Again, it was preventable, arriving once Khamis misjudged a header and Abdulaziz Haikal misjudged rival Sardor Mirzayez’s touch, leaving Bikmaev to casually roll his shot past Naser.
Ahli plied on, but other than Jassim’s late effort that struck the hosts’ post, they were resigned to defeat.
Luckily for them, they can atone for the loss in two weeks’ time, when they entertain Taawoun at the Rashid Stadium.
There, Ahli will obviously need to begin the game better.
jmcauley@thenational.ae