Dubai: Al Ahli fell to a 2-0 defeat away to Uzbek league champions Lokomotiv Tashkent in their second Asian Champions League (ACL) group game on Monday.
Salamat Kutybaev nodded the hosts in front just 18 seconds into the match, while the man who supplied him with the cross, Marat Bikmaev, added a second just before the hour.
The opener was the second-fastest goal in Asian Champions League history after Sebastian Soria scored after just nine seconds for Qatar’s Lekhwiya in 2013.
It ended the Red Knights’ run of five wins across all competitions, which places them second in the UAE league, nine points behind Al Jazira with seven games remaining.
Cosmin Olaroiu’s side had won their opening ACL group game 2-1 at home to Iran’s Esteghlal last week.
They now share top of Group A with Lokomotiv and Saudi Arabia’s Al Taawoun all tied on three points, that’s after Al Taawoun beat Lokomotiv 1-0 at home, last week.
This was before Esteghlal played Al Taawoun in Muscat, Oman, from 7.30pm on Monday, in Group A’s later game. Matches between Saudi and Iranian sides are being played on neutral turf due to political reasons.
Following their ACL group opening defeat away to Al Taawoun last week, this is Lokomotiv’s first win of their new season with the Uzbek league only kicking off again in March after ending in November.
Lokomotiv went ahead early when Al Ahli failed to track Kutybaev’s run and he headed in Bikmaev’s cross from the left.
Tashkent’s keeper Ignatiy Nesterov then kept the Railroaders in it with a flurry of saves, as Al Ahli looked to get back into the game.
Nesterov’s best effort saw him quickly get down to deny Habib Fardan, who drilled in an effort low towards the bottom corner before the half hour.
Al Ahli then had an equaliser, headed in by Makhete Diop from an Everton Ribeiro corner, ruled out for pushing inside the box on 32 minutes, in a decision that appeared harsh.
Lokomotiv added a second before the hour when a poorly headed clearance from Salmeen Khamis allowed Bikmaev through on goal to fire bottom left from the one-on-one. Al Ahli had a late effort from Saeed Jassim come back off the post and fly across the goalmouth on 82 minutes, but that was about all the visitors could muster.
