ABADAN, Iran (Interstat) — Ahal defeated visiting Al Ansar SC 2-1 on Friday at Ahal Stadium, getting the decisive goal from Yakupmuhammet Govshudov in the 77th minute. All scoring came in the second half. Majed Osman scored for Al Ansar SC in the 63rd minute, and Begenc Mamiyew also scored for Ahal. Govshudov’s goal put Ahal ahead for good, and the home side kept Al Ansar SC off the scoreboard over the final 13 minutes of regulation and stoppage time. The result gave Ahal its first win in this competition and handed Al Ansar SC its first competition loss after a strong start to the season. Ahal improved its competition record to one win, one loss and one draw, while Al Ansar SC moved to two wins and one loss. Ahal’s home victory came in front of its supporters at Ahal Stadium, and the home side protected the one-goal margin through the final minutes.

The first half ended without a goal, and the match opened up after the break. Osman’s 63rd-minute finish gave Al Ansar SC its goal, while Mamiyew scored during his 61 minutes of action for Ahal. Govshudov, who played the full 90 minutes, delivered the winner 14 minutes after Osman’s goal. Mahdi Zein recorded an assist for Al Ansar SC during his 44 minutes, and Suleyman Mirzoyev had an assist for Ahal in 17 minutes. Houssam Eddine H. received a yellow card for Al Ansar SC in the fifth minute of stoppage time. The card was the only booking listed in the match. Al Ansar SC pushed forward in the late stages, but Ahal’s defense kept the visitors from finding a second goal.

Al Ansar SC’s substitutions began at halftime with Matar N.; Osman M. followed in the 65th minute, Khairdien A. in the 66th, Bou Saleh M. in the 80th and El Dor M. in the 86th. Ahal’s changes began in the 61st minute with Rahmanow A. and Mamiyew B., followed by Annayev E. in the 73rd and Garajayev Y. in the 86th. The teams combined for nine listed substitutions. The substitutions did not produce another goal after Govshudov’s 77th-minute strike, and Al Ansar SC could not find an equalizer.

Ahal had lost 5-1 at Al Ittihad Aleppo and drawn 2-2 at home against Paro in its previous competition matches. The home victory on Friday gave Ahal a measure of recovery in the competition and followed a difficult defensive outing in its prior match. Al Ansar SC, meanwhile, had entered the match with recent success in the competition but could not extend that run at Ahal Stadium. The visiting side scored once through Osman but was held without a second goal over the closing stretch. The home side’s two goals came from Mamiyew and Govshudov, while Osman supplied Al Ansar SC’s lone goal.

Al Ansar SC’s season record in this competition is now two wins and one loss. Ahal’s season record in this competition is now one win, one loss and one draw. Across all competitions, Al Ansar SC is three wins, one loss and one draw, while Ahal is one win, one loss and one draw. The result gave Ahal its first competition win of the season and left Al Ansar SC with one loss in the competition despite its earlier wins. The competition records reflect Ahal’s first win and Al Ansar SC’s first loss in the competition.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Al Ansar SC 2, Ahal 1. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Al Ansar SC with a 73 percent probability to win. Al Ansar SC had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of -0.75. The total score of 3 went under the over/under line of 2.5.