Al Sadd striker Khalfan Ibrahim celebrates after scoring against Lokomotiv at the Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium yesterday. Pictures: Mamdouh

Agencies/Doha

Former AFC Player of the Year Khalfan Ibrahim scored twice as Al Sadd surged three points clear at the top of Group C of the AFC Champions League after the Qatari side romped to a 6-2 win over Uzbek Cup holders Lokomotiv at Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium yesterday.
Despite the visitors enjoying the majority of possession in the game, Al Sadd raced into a three-goal lead at the interval with Ibrahim converting a 27th minute penalty before Hasan al-Haydos and Nadir Belhadj scored on counter-attacks late in the half.
Ibrahim headed in his second of the game early in the second half and Abdelkarim Hassan and Grafite also got on the scoresheet for the 2011 champions while Damir Kojasevic and Jasur J Hasanov netted consolation goals for the Uzbek side.
Al Sadd have seven points from three games and a three-point advantage over second-placed Al Hilal of Saudi Arabia, who drew 0-0 with Foolad Khouzestan in Iran earlier yesterday.
Lokomotiv began the match with just a single point from their first two games but they made much of the early running and could have taken the lead in the 12th minute when Nemanja Janicic rose high in the six-yard box to meet an inviting cross from the right but could only send his header straight at goalkeeper Saad al-Sheeb.
That miss would prove costly when Al Sadd were awarded a penalty in the 27th minute after Shavkatjon Mulladjanov scythed down Hassan on the left edge of the Lokomotiv box. Ibrahim made no mistake from the spot, firing down the middle as goalkeeper Mamur Irkamov dived to his right.
Al Sadd extended their lead in the 34th minute when they caught the visitors on the counter-attack with Muriqui playing in al-Haydos who rifled the ball past Irkamov from the right edge of the box.
Belhadj then made it 3-0 in the 40th minute when he received the ball from Ibrahim on the left of the Lokomotiv box and curled a delightful effort into the far corner.
Lokomotiv were denied again when Hassan blocked a goal-bound effort by Temurkhuja Abdukholikov on the goalline right at the start of the second half and their misery was compounded when Al Sadd extended their lead in the 50th minute after Muriqui cut the ball back from the left byline for Ibrahim to head in his second goal of the game and third of the Group Stage.
Lokomotiv would pull a goal back in the 57th minute when substitute Damir Kojasevic curled in a delightful free-kick from 20 metres but two quick goals by the hosts would put the match well out of their reach.
First, Hassan launched a spectacular 40-metre chip from the left touchline over the head of Irkamov into the far corner of the net and then Grafite turned in the rebound after Ali Asadalla’s attempt had come back off the upright.
Khasanov would get another goal back for Lokomotiv from the penalty spot after Hassan had handled in his box but it was mere consolation for the Uzbek side who remained at the bottom of Group C.

Lekhwiya secure 1-0 victory
A first-half penalty by Nam Tae-hee proved decisive as Qatari champions Lekhwiya secured a 1-0 away win over Uzbek qualifiers Bunyodkor yesterday to move back into contention for a spot in the knockout phase of the AFC Champions League.
The Korea Republic international midfielder scored the only goal of the game in the 28th minute at Bunyodkor Stadium after Muhammad Razaq had been brought down in the corner of the box by goalkeeper Akbar Turaev.
The visitors withstood intense pressure from the home side in the second half to hold on for the three points that moved them into second place in Group A, two points behind leaders Persepolis of Iran, who face Saudi Arabia’s Al Nassr in Riyadh later yesterday.
Following an even start to the contest, Lekhwiya seized the initiative in the 28th minute when they were awarded a penalty after Razaq was upended somewhat unnecessarily by Turaev on the right edge of the Bunyodkor penalty area as he chased down Luiz Junior’s long through ball from the halfway line.
Nam was entrusted with the spot kick and he coolly placed it in the top right corner as Turaev dived the wrong way.
It was a case of déjà vu for Bunyodkor, who also lost 1-0 to a first-half penalty against Iranian side Persepolis in their previous match although the Uzbek side had their chances to get back on level terms, especially in the second half.
Minori Sato cut through the Lekhwiya defence with a jinking run in the 51st minute but his cross from the right byline was just too strong for Sardor Rashidov in the middle.
Lekhwiya could have extended their lead on the hour when Razak was played in on the right of the Bunyodkor box by Ismail Mohamad but saw his attempt kept out by the legs of Turaev.
And at the other end just a couple of minutes later, substitute Eldor Shomurodov had a corner knocked down to him on the right edge of the six-yard box but his shot on the turn went narrowly wide of the upright.
The home side intensified the pressure in the closing minutes and Shomuradov went close again when his curling effort from 20 metres was brilliantly palmed away by Lekhwiya goalkeeper Amine Lecomte.
Bunyodkor had one final chance of an equaliser right at the death as Lecomte flapped at a high cross and allowed the ball to drop to Chaker Zouaghi who hooked his volley over the crossbar with the Lekhwiya goalkeeper out of position.


BELOW:
Lekhwiya celebrate their goal against Bunyodkar in their 1-0 win in Tashkent.  Right: Sadd were cheered on by a vocal crowd in their match.