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Other Football

Rivaldo converted a penalty late in the first half as Bunyodkor advanced to the quarter-finals of the Asian Champions League.

The former World Player of the Year slotted home in the 41st minute to give the visitors the lead in the round-of-16 encounter after being fouled by Nabiollah Bagheriha at the Azadi Stadium.

Goalkeeper Murotjon Zukhorov made brilliant saves to deny Alireza Vahedi Nikbakht and Bagheriha before half-time and the Bunyodkor defence held firm after the break to dump Iran's last remaining representatives out of the competition.

The Uzbek side created the majority of the early chances with an unmarked Ulugbek Bakaev heading a Server Djeparov cross over and Edson Ramos superbly denied by goalkeeper Mizagh Memarzadeh after Rivaldo's shot was deflected into his path.

Piroozi failed to create any good openings until the half-hour mark when Mohsen Khalili had his header deflected wide and Ali Karimi sent his free-kick just over the crossbar.

The deadlock was broken four minutes before the interval when Jasur Hasanov crossed for Rivaldo, who controlled the ball with his back to goal and fell as he attempted to turn with defender Bagheriha appearing to tug on his shirt.

Korean referee Kim Dong-jin pointed to the spot and the Brazilian made no mistake, coolly slotting past Memarzadeh into the bottom-left corner of the net.

The home side rallied strongly in the closing minutes of the half only to be twice denied by Zukhorov.

The Bunyodkor goalkeeper dived low to his right to brilliantly palm away a glancing header by Vahedi Nikbakht in the 44th minute before stopping an unmarked Bagheriha from point-blank range in stoppage time.

An unattended Vahedi Nikbakht headed wastefully wide early in the second half but Piroozi struggled to create openings as the Uzbek side dropped back to defend their advantage.

The visitors nearly capitalised on the counter-attack when Rivaldo played in Hasanov on the right channel but the winger dragged his shot across the face of goal.

On the hour, the hosts were presented with an excellent opening when Pejman Nouri was brought down by Azizbek Haydarov 25 yards from goal but Karimi fired the attempt well over the crossbar.

As the clock ticked down, Piroozi threw numbers forward in an attempt to rescue the game but the massed Bunyodkor defence held firm.