Two goals apiece for Vadim Afonin and Shakhboz Erkinov and one each from Predrag Vujovic, Igor Taran and Laziz Ubaydullaev proved more than enough for the Uzbek side

Shurtan had lost their opening game of the competition 4-0 to Al Qadsia two weeks ago, and after also losing their opening two league fixtures, Gess was just pleased to get a win on the board.

“I’m happy that my players have recovered after the poor matches we played in the last two weeks,” said Gess, who turned 57 the day before his side’s one-sided win their opponents from Yemen

The hosts had to wait until the 41st minute to open the scoring, when Afonin headed home a Alexander Merzlyakov cross, before three goals in four minutes after the break opened the floodgates.

“Even today we had some problems with converting chances,” Gess admitted.

“I had hoped to open the scoring before half time. If we could not manage it I thought we’d have had massive problems in second half.

“We were lucky to score just before the whistle and that gave us a psychological advantage which we used in the beginning of second half.

“After this success we have almost one month until the next match to prepare, so I hope we will use it accordingly,” continued Gess, referring to Shurtan’s next AFC Cup match on April 13, which is at home to defending champions Al Ittihad.

There was little reason for cheer for Al Saqr manager Shamsan Marwan Saeed Saif aside from a couple of consolation goals from Murad Abdullah and Papy Ndombe Lukuku.

The Yemen club’s manager labelled his team’s defending as “schoolboy” after he had prepared them for a rearguard performance.

“I’m very disappointed. We tried to play more disciplined in defence and we managed to do so only in first 40 minutes,” he said.

“In second half we were like schoolboys.”

The defeat leaves Al Saqr bottom of Group B after they lost their opener against Al Ittihad 2-1.

Saif admitted his team faced an uphill task to qualify for the next stage, despite having played just two games, after their overwhelming defeat to Shurtan.

“I don’t think we have a chance to qualify for next round,” he said.

“But we will fight in every one of our matches.”