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AFC Women’s Champions League:
Bam Khatoon off to emphatic start in preliminaries
The Iranian top-flight champion took a two-goal lead in the first half and wrapped up the match after keeping a resurgent CSKA in check to get its Group E campaign off to a confident start in Hisor, Tajikistan.
Striker Sara Didar gave Bam Khatoon the upper hand in the ninth minute when she picked up a cross from Fatemeh Shaban on the right and half-volleyed past a hesitant Ayishatu Simpson in goal.
Simpson palmed away a stinging effort by Roujin Tamrian in the 32nd minute but failed to prevent Maryam Dini, who latched on to Shaban’s cross, from steering a point-blank header into the back of the net in the 37th minute.
CSKA trooped out a more determined side after the break as Erika Ackon forced Khatoon keeper Raha Yazdani into a full-length save in the 54th minute and Ruziguli Hasan saw her header cleared on the line minutes later.
The six-time Tajikistan champions, nonetheless, was unable to repel Khatoon’s pressing and was punished in the 71st minute when Didar broke free of the defense and headed home from close range following a corner.
Simpson managed to keep the scoreline respectable with several crucial saves as Bam Khatoon closed the match on a high note.
Khatoon will meet Saudi Arabia’s Al Nassr Club on Thursday before facing Jordan’s Etihad Club, which played to a 2-2 draw against Al Nassr, on Sunday.