After the sides played out a scoreless draw in Riyadh last week it was Lokomotiv, unbeaten in the continental competition since Al Hilal won in Tashkent last year, who broke the deadlock after 25 minutes at Bunyodkor Stadium when Tukhtakhujaev fired home from close in.

The hosts then opened up a two-goal lead 10 minutes into the second half through Fayziev before substitute Mohammed Al Shalhoub’s penalty in the last minute proved too little too late as Lokomotiv advanced.

“I want to thank my players as they followed all the instructions of the coaching staff,” said Lokomotiv coach Andrey Miklyaev. “We won as a team unit.

“In Riyadh we had to play defensive football because of Al Hilal’s experience, but today we tried to play attacking football.

“We worked on free-kicks and that gave us a big advantage. We had more chances than our opponents and we are happy with the victory.”

After an even first 20 minutes Temurkhuja Abdukholikov had a sight on goal midway through the half when Server Djeparov’s slipped throughball fell kindly to him inside the area, but after taking too long on the ball he eventually shot straight at goalkeeper Fahad Al Thunayyan.

Two minutes later, though, Lokomotiv opened the scoring when an inswinging Djeparov free-kick from the right was flicked on by Tukhtakhujaev 10 yards from goal, and when the ball landed back at his feet he made no mistake in rifling into the back of the net from inside the six yard box.

Al Hilal were struggling to get a foothold on the game and midfielder Sanjar Shaakhmedov fired wide from distance on the stroke of half-time, before Abdukholikov was off target after receiving another Djeparov ball five minutes after the restart.

But Lokomotiv did not have to wait long to double their advantage, with the instrumental Djeparov again involved in the 55th minute.

The two-time AFC Player of the Year sent in another pinpoint delivery from the right that was bundled home at the back post by Fayziev.

With Al Hilal offering little as an attacking force, the home side seemed set to comfortably see out the game but threw the visitors a lifeline when Tukhtakhujaev upended Brazilian Ailton inside the box with a minute remaining and the referee pointed to the spot.

Al Shalhoub dispatched the penalty straight down the middle but despite enduring a nervy final few minutes Lokomotiv held out to book their place in the quarter-finals.

“Our target was not to concede in the first half, but we couldn’t manage it,” said Al Hilal coach Abdullatif Al Hussaini. “The main reason for the loss was conceding a goal.

“Lokomotiv scored their second goal at the beginning of the second half. We made more mistakes after this because we tried to play fast and made wrong decisions.

“Lokomotiv were in better physical condition and they played better. We tried to change the game in the final minutes but we couldn’t create chances.”