SINGAPORE: Uzbekistan’s Bunyodkor provided the biggest upset of this year’s fledgling AFC Champions League when they shocked J-League title-holders Sanfrecce Hiroshima 2-0 away yesterday.
Despite last year’s run to the semifinals the Uzbek cup-winners were considered underdogs against the Japanese champions, but a late goal in each half made them worthy winners in Hiroshima.
Oleksandr Pyshur struck on the stroke of halftime to put the visitors ahead but it wasn’t until the 86th minute that Bunyodkor could be sure of the win, when Fozil Musaev doubled their advantage.
The victory extends Bunyodkor’s fine form in the Asian competition after they overturned three former champions last year before being halted by eventual winners Ulsan Hyundai in the last four.
Elsewhere on day two, Kashiwa Reysol registered the first Japanese win when ex-Guangzhou Evergrande striker Cleo, returning to China to face Guizhou Renhe, was on target in the first half to secure a 1-0 victory.
As Tuesday’s flood of goals quickly dried up, 2009 winners Pohang Steelers were held 0-0 by Beijing Guoan and Australia’s Central Coast Mariners and Suwon Bluewings also finished goalless.
In a frantic finish in Pohang, Beijing midfielder Joffre Guerron fired against the crossbar. For the Steelers, Kim Won-Il missed a golden chance and Hwang Jin-Sung twice went close with headers, but nobody could break the deadlock.
Earlier the Mariners, Australia’s only team in the competition, looked sure to secure all the points at their home ground in Gosford when Kwak Kwang-Seon handled inside the box in the final minutes.
However, Nick Montgomery’s effort was saved, leaving it all square after the Mariners failed to capitalize on a number of chances against the 2011 semifinalists.
The pan-Asian league, now entering its second decade, features 32 teams from 10 different countries. The group phase ends in early May but the two-legged final will not take place until November.
AFC to investigate match-fixing in Lebanon
Meantime, the Asian Football Confederation says it will look into the match-fixing scandal in Lebanon following the suspension of nearly two dozen players who are said to have fixed games, including a 2014 World Cup qualifier.
The AFC says the matter was referred to its disciplinary committee and that it would issue a statement today.
On Tuesday, the Lebanese Football Association announced that it had suspended national team players Mahmoud Al-Ali and Ramez Dayoub for life and handed down suspensions ranging from one to three seasons to 22 other players who were implicated in a match-fixing and bribery scandal.
The organization concluded that players took money from betting companies to lose domestic and other matches in Asia. The World Cup qualifier was Lebanon’s 1-0 loss to Qatar last year.
