Kuwait City: Brazilian striker Vinicius Lopes scored a hat-trick to put Kuwait SC in command of their 2015 AFC Cup semi-final as Mohammed Ebrahim’s side claimed a 4-0 win over Tajikistan’s FC Istiklol in the first leg at Kuwait Sports Club Stadium on Wednesday.
Lopes opened the scoring with a header in the 40th minute before two penalties in the final 10 minutes condemned the Tajik club to a heavy defeat and kept alive the prospect of an all-Kuwait final in the continental club competition. Hussein Al Harbi added a fourth two minutes into stoppage time.
The two teams will meet again in Dushanbe on October 21 and the winners will face either reigning champions Qadsia SC or Malaysia’s Johor Darul Taz’im. Qadsia hold a 3-1 advantage following the first leg in Kuwait on Tuesday.
Kuwait SC, winners of the competition 2009, 2012 and 2013, went into the game as favourites and, such was their dominance in the opening half, it was a surprise the opening goal only came five minutes before the interval.
Fahad Al Enezi had twice gone close with long-range efforts while Rogerinho had also caused the FC Istiklol defence problems throughout the first 45 minutes.
But it took until the 40th minute for Kuwait SC to register their first of the game, and it came when the Brazilian punished some slack marking at Abdullah Al Buraiki’s corner, allowing the former Al Jahra forward to head home unopposed.
FC Istiklol rarely threatened, with Khurshed Makhmudov eking out a rare chance when he saw goalkeeper Musab Al Kandari push his long range attempt to safety.
The second half followed a similar pattern, with Lopes almost adding a second when his header of Talal Al Muairi’s cross came back off the post, but in the 80th minute the home side finally doubled their advantage.
Sami Al Sanaei was brought down in the area by Akhtam Nazarov and referee Mohsen Torki pointed to the spot, with Lopes firing hiseffort from 12 yards high into the corner.
Five minutes later, the Brazilian was giving a repeat performance after FC Istiklol conceded another penalty when Mahdi Chahjooei brought down Talal Al Motairi. Once again, Lopes sent his effort well beyond Alisher Tuychiev’s reach.
And with two minutes gone in stoppage time, Al Harbi all but guaranteed Kuwait SC’s progress with a fine fourth when he latched on to Rogerinho’s through ball to clip his effort over Tuychiev.
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