After a scoreless first half, Zaynitdin Tadjiyev opened the scoring for Pakhtakor after 56 minutes before Farhod Tadjiev sealed the win by scoring the second goal seven minutes later.

Pakhatkor were clearly the better side in the game and had the first chance of the night after only six minutes when Odil Ahmedov fired a long-range shot that was deflected to a corner.

The home side went close three minutes later when Mohammad Hamrang tried his luck with a powerful shot but the ball was tipped over for a corner by Pakhtakor goalkeeper Ignatiy Nesterov.

Saba Battery thought that they had taken the lead after 19 minutes when Fereidoun Fazli broke down the right flank and sent a cross to Mahdi Kheiri, who put the ball in the back of the net but the goal was disallowed for offside.

The Iranians suffered a big blow after 27 minutes when Mohsen Yousefi was shown a red card after a harsh foul on Pakhtakor midfielder Darko Markovic.

Pakhtakor nearly took the lead after 36 minutes when Tadjiyev’s shot from inside the area beat Saba Battery goalkeeper Almir Tolja but the goal was ruled out for an offside.

Pakhtakor made a good start in the second half and they took the lead after 56 minutes when Alexander Geynrikh went into the right flank and sent a cross that was turned home by substitute striker Tadjiyev.

The Uzbeks continued to press and they added another goal three minutes after the hour mark when Tadjiev made his way into the area and fired a low shot into the net, despite the helpless efforts of Shic Rezaei to stop the Uzbek striker.

The two-goal cushion helped Pakhtakor to slow the tempo of the game but they should have added a third goal after 73 minutes but Alexander Geynrikh’s free kick went over the crossbar.

Saba Battery failed to get back into the game in the last remaining minutes and it was Pakhtakor who had the best chance with 12 minutes remaining but Ilhomjon Suyunov’s shot was saved by Saba Battery’s Bosnian goalkeeper Tolja.