AFC - Bahman Jahantigh scored with two minutes remaining to hand Foolad Khouzestan a 1-0 victory over Uzbekistan’s Lokomotiv on Tuesday as the Iranian club recorded their first win of the 2015 AFC Champions League campaign to finish in third place in Group C.

After a goalless first period at Ghadir Stadium in which visitors Lokomotiv had largely been on top for large spells, the second half was a more even affair with little in the way of clear-cut chances.

But shortly after fellow second-half substitute Hadi Habibinezhad had rattled the crossbar with a long-range strike, Jahantigh broke free to fire home on 88 minutes to end Foolad’s five-match winless slump in this year’s continental competition.

Keen to shake off the disappointment of having their hopes of a place in the Round of 16 ended last month, the visitors began in positive fashion and Temurkhuja Abdukholikov had the ball in the net on the quarter hour mark only to see his close-range effort ruled out for offside.

Lokomotiv captain Timur Kapadze then forced Foolad goalkeeper Alireza Salimi into a flying save from his 20-yard shot before Abdukholikov and Ikromjon Alibaev both saw headers go narrowly wide.

Despite showing plenty of endeavour, hosts Foolad, who had also been eliminated from the competition a fortnight ago after a 1-0 defeat to Qatari club Al Sadd, struggled to create opportunities.

And on the half hour mark Montenegrin midfielder Damir Kojasevic carved out another opening for Lokomotiv as he cut inside from the right-flank and curled in a left-footed shot that Salimi needed to be alert to deal with.

In their brief forays up field, Cameroonian forward Aloys Nong looked the man most likely to make something happen for Foolad, but when he was finally able to break free of the Lokomotiv defence, he was pulled up short by the assistant referee’s flag for offside.

Lokomotiv finished the half on top, though, continuing to attack with gusto as Salimi was called into action again to save from Alibaev from close-range.

Little of goalmouth action took place in the second half, until three minutes before the end when second-half substitute Habibinezhad almost broke the deadlock in spectacular fashion after the midfielder let fly from 30 yards out and careened a blistering strike that hammered off the crossbar with Ignatiy Nesterov well-beaten, although fellow replacement Jahantigh then failed to put in the rebound from close range.

Jahantigh’s blushes were saved just a minute later, however, as Mathias Chago sprung Lokomotiv’s defence with a piercing pass that found the striker through on goal and he clipped the ball past the onrushing Nesterov to finally end Foolad’s drought.