Tractor triumphs over Nasaf Qarshi despite poor pitch conditions
Tractor of Iran delivered a disciplined and well-organized performance to defeat Uzbekistan’s Nasaf Qarshi, on a night when even the poor pitch conditions failed to favor the home side. The victory lifted the Iranian team to 11 points, strengthening their hopes of advancing to the knockout stage of the AFC Elite League.
In Matchday 5 of the group stage, Tractor traveled to Qarshi for a crucial encounter for both sides. The Tabriz-based team ultimately secured a vital 1–0 win, returning home with three precious points, varzesh3.com wrote.
Rezi Lushkja, Tractor’s Albanian winger, scored the only goal of the match in the 17th minute. His decisive performance earned him the AFC Man of the Match award.
The win not only added a valuable three points to Tractor’s tally but also moved the team into second place with 11 points, significantly boosting their qualification chances.
Despite playing on Qarshi Stadium’s damaged and uneven surface, Dragan Skocic’s men showed clear determination to leave with a positive result. The Croatian head coach once again deployed his preferred 4-3-3 formation and, in the absence of Mehdi Torabi, relied on foreign players Lushkja and Drozdzek to maintain the team’s attacking structure.