Among the highlights last week was a debut victory for Benfica Macau in Group I, while last year’s runners-up FC Istiklol of Tajikistan also got off to a winning start in Group D.

After their opening game was postponed, 2016 runners-up JSW Bengaluru of India play their first game in Group E on Wednesday.

The only goal of the night came in the 25th minute when Nozim Babadzhanov snatched the ball from the Ahal defence on the right flank and crossed for Zenko Mikalai whose attempt from close range was parried by goalkeeper Ovezmyradov Ovezmyrat, but bounced off Guychmyrat and into the back of the net.

The hosts nearly added another within three minutes of the opener after Babadzhanov applied pressure on his opponents to recover the ball deep inside Ahal’s half and exchange passes with Mikalai before rattling the crossbar with a left footed effort from the edge of the area.

Istiklol were reduced to 10 men in the 86th minute after Sheriddin Boboev picked up a second yellow card for hand ball. The Tajik champions held on to their lead despite the one-man disadvantage to collect their first three points of the competition.

FC Ahal will look to end their winless run in the AFC Cup which now extends to four games as they welcome Kyrgyz Republic's FC Alay next week in Matchday Two. Meanwhile Istiklol travel to Turkmenistan to face Altyn Asyr.

 

Played at the Bangabandhu National Stadium the two sides couldn’t be separated in a tight and at times fiery first half.

The home side had a glorious chance to open the scoring early in the second half when Sunday Nwadialu headed over the crossbar under little pressure.

They were made to pay for that miss when Ali Fasir put the visitors ahead with a left-footed strike just before the hour mark after a lovely piece of build-up play in which the visitors passed the ball around with ease before finding an opening.

Two minutes Emeka Onuoha put the ball in the back of the net for the home side, but was denied by the offside flag from the assistant.

The match went from bad to worse for the home side when Sunday was shown a second yellow card just five minutes later, reducing Abahani Limited to 10 men for the final 30 minutes.

Despite creating chances to extend their lead, New Radiant couldn’t find the second goal they needed to make the match more comfortable and had to endure a nervy last few minutes before the win and three points were secured.

Played at the Akhmatbek Suyinbaev Stadium, it was Altyn Asyr who started the brighter of the two sides and they made their early dominance count when Myrat Yasgyyew rounded the keeper to make it 1-0 to the visitors after just 11 minutes.

Yazguly Hojageldyyew’s men doubled their lead less than 10 minutes later when Mekan Asyrow’s header back across goal was turned home by Annadurdyyew.

Iliaz Alimov pulled one back for the home side in the 39th minute, but their joy was short-lived as Annadurdyyew scored his second just a minute later to make it 3-1 at half time for the visitors.

Just one minute into the second half and FC Alay pulled it back to 3-2 as Joel Kojo scored the goal of the match with a long-range effort into the top corner.

But again the home side failed to keep their momentum going and five minutes later Yasgyyew secured his brace when he poked home from the edge of the six-yard box.

Maksadbek Alimov finished a lovely move just before the hour mark to once again give hope to the home side as he pulled it back to 4-3.

But a lovely header from Annadurdyyew to secure his hat-trick in the 84th minute and a sixth goal from substitute Begmyrat Bayov just four minutes later extinguished any hope for the home side and secured all three points for the visitors.