TURSUNZODA, Tajikistan (Interstat) — Nasser Al Rawahi scored in first-half stoppage time and Al Qadisiya held on for a 1-0 victory over Regar-TadAZ at TALCO Arena on Tuesday. The visitors scored the only goal of the game, while the home side could not find an equalizer despite several second-half changes. Al Qadisiya improved its competition record to two wins and no losses, while Regar-TadAZ moved to one win and one loss. The match was the second competition win for Al Qadisiya and the first competition loss for Regar-TadAZ. Al Qadisiya also moved to three wins, no losses and one draw across all competitions, while Regar-TadAZ is now two wins, one loss and one draw overall.

The decisive moment arrived in the 45+1 minute, when Al Rawahi converted for Al Qadisiya just before the halftime whistle. The goal gave the visitors a lead they protected through a tight second half. Al Rawahi was on the field for the full 90 minutes and finished with the one goal. Regar-TadAZ pressed for a response after the break, but Al Qadisiya’s defense and midfield limited clear chances. The home side moved players forward late in search of an equalizer, but the visitors kept the clean sheet. Al Qadisiya’s back line absorbed pressure in the final stages and cleared several dangerous deliveries from the flanks.

Regar-TadAZ’s Safarov A. was shown a yellow card in the 35th minute, and the home side made a halftime substitution involving Safarov A. The match grew more physical early in the second half. Kalandarov B. of Regar-TadAZ and Khabba H. of Al Qadisiya were both booked in the 50th minute. Makhamadiev S. of Regar-TadAZ was cautioned in the 66th minute. Regar-TadAZ also received late yellow cards to Nozimov A. in the 90+4th minute and Severin T. in the 90+6th minute. The bookings interrupted the flow of a match that remained a one-goal contest. Regar-TadAZ finished with five yellow cards, while Al Qadisiya had one.

Al Qadisiya made a substitution involving Abdalla Ahmed in the 63rd minute. Regar-TadAZ made three changes in the 72nd minute involving Makhamadiev S., Khaitov A. and Sharipov A. Al Qadisiya’s Dahman entered in the 78th minute. Regar-TadAZ’s Assomo M. came on in the 82nd minute. Al Qadisiya made two changes in the 87th minute involving Al Dhafiri M. and Khabba H. The substitutions could not alter the scoreline. Al Qadisiya managed the closing stages with its one-goal advantage intact. Regar-TadAZ’s late changes gave the home side fresh legs, but Al Qadisiya kept its shape and defended the narrow lead. The final whistle came after a tense closing sequence.

Across all competitions, Al Qadisiya is now three wins, no losses and one draw, while Regar-TadAZ is two wins, one loss and one draw. Al Qadisiya’s next match is at Goa in the AFC Challenge League. Regar-TadAZ is scheduled to play at Fortis in the same competition. The result marked Al Qadisiya’s second win in the competition and handed Regar-TadAZ its first loss in the competition. Al Qadisiya has won both of its competition matches this season. Regar-TadAZ had entered the match after a competition win and now has one win and one loss in the competition. The competition records now reflect contrasting starts for the two sides.

The game simulator and ELO system had favored different outcomes before kickoff. Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Al Qadisiya 2, Regar-TadAZ 1. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Regar-TadAZ with a 73.6 percent probability to win. Al Qadisiya had been installed as the pregame favorite with a spread of -0.75. The total score of 1 went over the over/under line of 2.5. The pregame numbers had pointed toward a different result than the one produced at TALCO Arena.