TEHRAN - Bam Khatoon football club from Iran came back from a goal down to force a 1-1 draw with Sogdiana-W in the AFC Women’s Club Championship 2022 West on Saturday.

Khabibullaeva Diyorakhon opened the scoring for Uzbekistan's Sogdiana-W, but Zahra Ghanbari’s header in the second ensured Iran's Bam Khatoon go into the reverse fixture on Tuesday on level terms. 

Bam Khatoon were quick to assert their dominance, with Zahra Sarbali having the first glimpse on goal within the opening 30 seconds after collecting a wonderful through pass into the area, only for an alert goalkeeper Gulmova Kumushoy to smother the effort. 

Sogdiana-W, however, shook off their early jitters and began finding chances of their own through crosses from the flanks, with Diyorakhon’s 19th minute run leading to the deadlock being broken. 

Diyorakhon surged deep into the box on a counter-attack, and her effort to pull back for Ergasheva Dildora saw the ball deflecting off defender Kousar Kamali’s legs and into the back of the net. 

The Iranian champions struggled with Sogdiana-W’s pressure, as the Uzbek club dominated proceedings to maintain their lead heading into the break, the-afc.com reported.

Bam Khatoon, however, came out fighting in the second half and drew level in the 59th minute with a diving Ghanbar heading home Sarbali’s curling cross.