The-AFC.com: Pakhtakor make winning return in Uzbekistan

Defending champions FC Pakhakor made fairly light work of their first Uzbekistan Super League clash in over a month, beating Qizilqum Zarafshon 3-1 on Monday night.

With AFC Champions League and international commitments keeping their players busy since early September, Shota Arveladze’s side took just 17 minutes to get back into the swing of things with Eren Derdiyok’s goal, but an Oybek Kilichev leveller made things interesting before second half goals from Player of the Match Farrukh Sayfiev and Anzur Ismailov settled the match.

Earlier in the weekend, Pakhtakor had been temporarily overtaken by AGMK, who moved to 42 points in 19 matches with a 2-0 victory over Mashal, but despite the Almalyk club’s temporary rise, Pakhtakor finished the weekend two points clear, and with two games in hand as the title race enters its final stages.

Beyond the top two, much of the attention was focused on a Tashkent derby between Lokomotiv and Bunyodkor, with Lokomotiv running out 2-1 winners.

In virtual freefall earlier in the campaign, Lokomotiv have significantly improved under new boss Andrey Miklyaev, earning 13 points in six matches since his appointment to find themselves a respectable seventh on the league table.