Istiqlol vs. Sharjah FC: A closely fought encounter decided in the latter stages
Istiqlol and Sharjah FC locked horns in a tightly contested AFC Cup 2024 group stage match, with Sharjah FC emerging victorious thanks to a late goal.
The game started at a frenetic pace, with both teams vying for control of the match. The first half was characterized by defensive discipline, with few clear-cut chances. However, yellow cards began to appear on the scoreboard: at the 20-minute mark, Istiqlol’s E. Panshanbe received the first yellow, followed by teammate A. Dzhalilov a minute later.
The second half began with more intensity, and Istiqlol continued with the defensive discipline that characterized them in the first half, while Sharjah FC sought to open the scoring with more insistence. Istiqlol saw their third yellow card at the 52nd minute through S. Qurbonov.
The match truly opened up in the 66th minute when Sharjah FC’s D. Nejasmic received a yellow card. Shortly after, the Emirati team made two attacking substitutions that ultimately yielded the victory. In the 72nd minute, F. Ben Larbi scored the only goal of the game, capitalizing on an assist from Luanzinho.
The tension increased in the final minutes, with yellows to M. Abdulbasit and D. Petrovic of Sharjah FC, and to R. Soirov of Istiqlol. Istiqlol attempted to equalize in the latter stages, but Sharjah FC held on to their lead until the end.
The final score was 0-1 in favor of Sharjah FC, who took all three points in an exciting and hard-fought match.
Statistics:
* Istiqlol: 50% possession, 4 shots (2 on target, 1 off target), 4 corners, 10 fouls, 4 yellow cards, 0 red cards
* Sharjah FC: 50% possession, 18 shots (7 on target, 6 off target), 5 corners, 13 fouls, 3 yellow cards, 0 red cards
Match Data:
* Date: September 17, 2024
* Match City: Dushanbe
* Stadium: Central Republican Stadium
* League: AFC Cup
* Season: 2024
* Round: Group Stage – 1
* Country: World
Substitutions sharjah fc: at minute 68 M. Meloni came in and P. Alcacer went out., at minute 68 F. Ben Larbi came in and D. Nejasmic went out., at minute 83 M. Hassan came in and Luanzinho went out., at minute 90 Guilherme Biro came in and O. Camara went out., at minute 90 Cho Yu-Min came in and M. Abdulbasit went out.
Substitutions istiqlol: at minute 84 D. Mitkov came in and M. de Souza went out., at minute 90 A. Nazarov came in and S. Qurbonov went out.
The teams lined up as follows:
Istiqlol
Titulares:
Sharjah FC
Titulares:
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