Ruzikul Berdiev expressed his complete satisfaction with the technical and physical level shown by his team's players in the strong match that brought them together with the Saudi club Al-Ittihad, despite the match ending with his team losing by one goal to nil.
Berdyev’s remarks came during the press conference held after the final whistle of the match that took place on Tuesday evening, where he confirmed that his team played a high-level tactical match against an opponent packed with international stars, noting that luck was against them in more than one instance that could have changed the course of the match or at least resulted in a draw.
Berdiev's statements about luck and missed opportunities
The Uzbek coach told the media: “We put on a very good performance against a team of Al-Ittihad’s caliber, on their home ground and in front of their fans. The players followed instructions and closed down spaces well, but luck wasn’t on our side in the crucial moments.” He added that his players could have finished the match with a better result that reflected their effort on the pitch, were it not for a few small details and the experience that ultimately decided the game in favor of the home team.
Karim Benzema's impact and the reality of the match
The match ended with a hard-fought and valuable 1-0 victory for Al-Ittihad, courtesy of a goal from veteran French star Karim Benzema , the team's captain and former Ballon d'Or winner, in the sixth round of the AFC Champions League . This goal highlights the significant contribution Benzema makes to Al-Ittihad's attack, as his experience proved decisive against a resolute and well-organized Uzbek side.
The two teams' standings in the AFC Champions League
This match comes amidst fierce competition within the new format of the Asian Champions League (Elite), where Al-Ittihad seeks to prove its worthiness to compete for the continental title. With this victory, Al-Ittihad raised its points tally to 9, occupying sixth place in the West Zone standings, thus strengthening its chances of qualifying for the knockout stages and progressing towards reclaiming Asian glory.
Conversely, this loss deepened the wounds of Uzbekistan's Nasaf, who remain at the bottom of the standings with zero points, reflecting the fierce competition in this newly established edition of the tournament, which features the continent's elite clubs. Uzbek clubs, in general, face significant challenges when playing against Saudi Arabian clubs, which have recently experienced a surge in international recruitment, raising the level of competition and making the task more difficult for opposing teams. This explains coach Berdiev's comments, which emphasized performance over results.
The importance of the event in the continental context
These matches are particularly important as they reflect the new balance of power in Asian football, with Saudi clubs continuing their dominance and delivering high-level performances thanks to significant support and world-class players. For Nasaf, a strong showing against a title contender like Al-Ittihad is a positive sign for the future, despite their current disappointing results in the group stage.
