Khatoon Bam off to flyer in AWCL preliminary stage
Iran’s Khatoon Bam got off to a winning start in the preliminary stage of the AFC Women’s Champions League, defeating Bhutanese host Royal Thimphu College FC 2-1 in Thimphu on Sunday.
The 10-time Iranian champion started on the front foot at the Changlimithang Stadium and was unlucky to see Mona Hamoudi’s rasping drive from outside the box bounce off the woodwork in the 14th minute.
The home side took the lead against the run of play in the 27th minute as Ritu Porna Chakma’s goal-bound effort from 30 yards out went in off goalkeeper Mahdiyeh Molaei’s hands.
Hamoudi drew the visitors level seven minutes later when her sublime side-footed volley on Samaneh Chahkandi’s cross found the back of the net.
Molaei made up for her first-half blunder eight minutes after the break as she produced a brilliant save to deny Monika Chakma from close range.
A final twist to the game came in the 75th minute, with influential Zahra Ghanbari floating a free-kick into the box before Shahnaz Ja’fari nodded home the winner.
Sitting atop the three-team table, Khatoon will have the opportunity to see Kitchee FC in action against the host on Wednesday ahead of Saturday’s showdown with the Hong Kong league champion.
The winner of the group will join Melbourne City, Filipino club Kaya, and Thailand’s College of Asian Scholars in Group B of the inaugural Asian elite clubs’ competition – set to be staged in a single round-robin format in Thailand in October.