Top Qatari team Al Duhail scored their third successive victory in the AFC Champions League as they prevailed 3-2 over Uzbekistan’s Lokomotiv in their third-round Group B match in Doha on Tuesday.

Al Duhail’s star Moroccan striker Youssef El Arabi scored twice inside the first 20 minutes after being set up by Almoez Ali on both occasions. 

He first found the target with a low shot following a swift passing move in the ninth minute. In the 19th, El Arabi doubled the hosts’ lead by tapping in to an empty goal after Ali’s squared pass for his fourth AFC Champions League goal of the season.

El Arabi then set up his captain Youssef Msakni in the 25th minute. The Tunisian midfielder latched onto a precise through pass and beat Ignatiy Nesterov to give his side a firm 3-0 lead going into the break.

Lokomotiv looked a different side after the restart and duly pulled a goal back in the 57th, with substitute Nivaldo scoring with his first touch just moments after coming on. Two minutes later, Marat Bikmaev made it 3-2 after a lobbed finish over Al Duhail keeper Amine Lecomte. 

However, despite pushing hard for an equaliser, Lokomotiv were unable to complete what would have been an impressive comeback. 

Al Duhail held on firm to maintain their 100 per cent record and stay top of Group B, while Lokomotiv are in third place with three points.

They will be keen to make amends when they host Al Duhail in Tashkent next week.