Two Draws, One Group B: AFC Champions League 2 Stays Tight
22 October 2025
Group B Draws Keep AFC Champions League 2 Tight
Group B of the AFC Champions League 2 grew more complicated as the third round ended in a pair of draws, leaving all four teams on a fresh point and the group standings unchanged.
On Wednesday, Khaldiya of Bahrain earned a valuable point away at Andijan of Uzbekistan, with their match finishing goalless at the Bobur Stadium in Andijan, while Al-Ahli of Qatar forced a 2-2 draw with Arkadag in Doha.
Khaldiya remains on top with five points, while Andijan and Al-Ahli sit on three, and Arkadag on two, after the first round saw Al-Ahli-Khaldiya 0-0 and Arkadag-Andijan 0-0; in the second round Khaldiya defeated Arkadag 2-0, and Andijan drew 0-0 with Al-Ahli.
Round 4 is scheduled for November 5, with Khaldiya hosting Andijan in Arad and Arkadag hosting Al-Ahli; the top two from each group advance to the knockout stage.
Al-Ahli vs Arkadag opened with cautious play, mutual intent to seize control, while Khaldiya and Andijan pressed from the wings, looking to find a passing lane that would unlock the defense.
During the first half, a low drive from Seko Yansani on the right rattled the crossbar in the 22nd minute, and a curling free kick from Julian Draxler which keeper Shariyev pushed to a corner in the 31st provided moments of danger for Arkadag.
The hosts finally did break the deadlock in the 41st minute when a cross from Michel Flab found Matij Mitrović, who headed home near the far post to give Al-Ahli a 1-0 lead at the break.
Early in the second half, Arkadag looked to respond as Yazgilyich Kurbanov fired a powerful strike from outside the box, but Mrowan Silva parried and kept the score at 1-0.
The visitors doubled their advantage in the 56th minute after a quick counter, with Mitrović’s cross finding Flab’s run and a crisp finish, doubling the score to 2-0.
Arkadag then pulled one back with a dangerous cross that was headed in by Mikan Sabaro at 79 minutes, narrowing the gap to 2-1. The drama continued as late chances flew, but the defense held for a 2-1 result until late stoppage-time, when Arkadag equalised through a late header from Bermat Mamido, set up by a cross from the left and finished by Mikan Sabaro at 90+1, forcing a 2-2 final.
Two matches, two goals per side and a group standing that remains in flux as the schedule heads to November 5.
The Khaldiya vs Andijan clash opened with open play and exchanges from both sides, as the two teams looked for the next breakthrough. In minute 4, Doniyor Abdu Monov released captain Damir Timerov near the edge of the box, but his shot sailed over. In minute 17, Dominik Mendi found Kamol Black near the edge of the area and fired a powerful shot from outside, which was saved by the Arkadag goalkeeper.
Andijan briefly thought they had opened the scoring in the 27th via Othman Ali’s header, but the offside flag denied the goal. The late first-half play produced its sharpest moment when Timerov sent in a cross to Bibmit Abdullinov, whose header went over the bar in stoppage time.
At the start of the second half, Andijan pressed again, with Sonatuluk Hamidjanov testing Ricardo Silva in the 56th minute. In the closing stages, Mohamed Karim Tovrov unleashed a long-range effort that Silva saved again to preserve the draw for both sides and keep the group balanced.
Al-Ahli and Arkadag’s meeting added another layer of drama: a cautious start, a first-half cagey balance, and a late equaliser that preserved the tie and kept Arkadag’s chances alive for the next round.
Round 4 schedule: Khaldiya vs Andijan in Arad; Arkadag vs Al-Ahli. The top two from each group advance to the Round of 16. Punchline time: If Group B were a dating app, it would be “It’s complicated” with every match promising a potential love story or heartbreak—same as football, minus the photoshoot. Punchline 2: In this group, even the scoreboard looks at the clock and wonders, “Are we there yet?”
