Bunyodkor coach left fumbling for words after Al Shabab win

Dubai: Al Shabab's emphatic 2-0 win against a Rivaldo-led Bunyodkor left the opposition coach gasping in awe as the result threw Group D of the AFC Champions League (ACL) wide open.

"I think we spoke too early when we promised an exciting match against Al Shabab. If they continue playing the way they did tonight, they can go a long way in our group," admitted Bunyodkor coach Amet Memet at the post-match press conference.

Led by former Fifa Player of the Year and inspirational Brazilian legend Rivaldo, Bunyodkor could do little as the home side took the lead with just three minutes gone through Eisa Obaid. Their lanky Zimbabwean striker Musa Mguni then added a second six minutes from the half-time whistle.

With three points staring at them in the face, the largely inexperienced Al Shabab team then fell back to defending their lead for the second half.

Bunyodkor had things stacked in their favour as they eyed the sole leadership of Group D with maximum six points after two matches. They had won their opening encounter away to Al Ettifaq of Saudi Arabia 2-1 last week.

Led by attacking playmaker Rivaldo, fuelled by the astuteness and guile of 2008 AFC Player of the Year Server Djeparov, the scoring ease of Anvarjon Soliev and the added reinforcement from the Brazilian duo of midfielder Joao Victor and defender Edson Ramos, coach Memet had promised an "exciting brand of football."

Memet was left fumbling for words trying to explain the result.

"Al Shabab scored early and then defended very well. They simply did not give us any space to construct any goal-scoring moves.

"And then they found the second goal, thus making our task even harder," added the Ukrainian.

In contrast, Al Shabab had conceded a goal in the first and last minutes of the match to go down 0-2 to Iranian side Sepahan last week. That result, and considering the inexperience of his players, had made coach Toninho Cerezo cagey while insisting that the home match would be played "between eleven players from each team".

But he had also been wise to state that "whoever shows the better resilience will be the winner".

On Wednesday, Cerezo was all smiles for netting his team's first three points in this continental competition. "This is football. Now we will have to wait and see how we can build on this win and continue if we want to qualify to the next stage," he said.

Each of the four teams in Group D now have three points apiece.