TEHRAN, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Iranian club Zob Ahan earned a valuable win over Bunyodkor of Uzbekistan at the preliminary round of the 2017 AFC Champions League, Press TV reported on Wednesday.
The Isfahan-based team defeated the visitors 2-1 in the Group C match played in Foolad Shahr Stadium of Iran's Isfahan city.
In the fifth minute, defender Vahid Mohammadzadeh scored the opener with a powerful header, and Zob Ahan made it two when midfielder Mohammad Reza Hosseini crossed the ball to Morteza Tabrizi who slammed it to the back of the Uzbek net in the 54th minute.
Striker Shakzodbek Nurmatov scored his effort into the bottom corner 18 minutes from time for the visitors.
The victory enables Iran to accumulate seven points from four games and keeps them in the hunt for a knockout place of this year's competition with two games remaining.
Elsewhere, Al Ahli from Saudi Arabia drew with Al Ain of the United Arab Emirates 2-2 in the group.
Al Ahli remains atop of the group with eight points, one more than Zob Ahan and two more than Al Ain.
