Keeper quandary for Kasimov

AFC - Kuruvchi coach Mirdjalol Kasimov is facing a goalkeeping quandary ahead of his team's Group A home opener against Iranian side Sepahan at the MHSK Stadium on Wednesday.

Last season's Uzbekistan league runners-up gave a good account of themselves on their AFC Champions League debut last week but left Jeddah empty-handed after a late Magno Alves goal condemned them to a 1-0 loss to Al Ittihad.

But the team's hopes of following up that performance with a victory against the 2007 AFC Champions League runners-up have been affected by the loss of goalkeeper and captain Pavel Bugalo for the game against Sepahan.

The 34-year-old has been ruled out by a back injury and is likely to be replaced by either Oleg Belyakov or Murod Zukhurov.

Belakov, 36, is the more experienced of the Kuruvchi reserve keepers, having previously appeared for Navbakhor in the Asian Cup Winners' Cup, while 25-year-old Zukhurov has yet to appear at this level.

Kasimov is looking to stay positive despite the absence of Bugalo for the crucial game.

"Of course, missing such an important player as Bugalo could be crucial for us but we will try to play our best match," said the Uzbek legend.

"Our goal is to play an attacking game and if all of our players do their best, it will make life easier for our new goalkeeper."

On the positive side, Kuruvchi have no other injury concerns for the game and, having not had a game in the Uzbek league last weekend, their key players will be well rested for what amounts to a must-win game.

Sepahan are looking to recover from a stunning 2-0 home loss to Al Ittihad Aleppo of Syria in their opening match but their cause has not been helped by an administrative error by the Iranian Football Federation.

The IFF mistakenly sent the squad list of Sepahan's Iran Pro League rivals Saipa to the Uzbek authorities while applying for visas, an error that was only noticed by the Uzbeks when an official spotted the name of Saipa coach Ali Daei on the list.

The mistake resulted in a delay in visa processing with only 14 of the Sepahan players receiving their visas in Iran, while the remaining players had to their visas on arrival in Tashkent.

The good news for the Hazfi Cup holders is that striker Mahmoud Karimi is fit again, but coach Jorvan Vieira, who is under pressure after the shock loss to Al Ittihad, is still sweating on the fitness of midfielders Jalal Akbari, Hossein Kazemi and Hossein Papi.

Defender Mohsen Bengar is suspended after being sent off against Al Ittihad but centre back Hadi Aghili is likely to play after not being given permission by the club to join up with the Iran national team ahead of their international friendly later this week against Bahrain.