Sebastian Soria’s fourth goal of the campaign had set Lekhwiya on their way to following up last week’s 3-1 win over Pakhtakor in Doha only for Gulom Urunov to also score for the second consecutive game to pull the home side level in spectacular fashion midway through the first half.

Dame Traore’s own goal just after half-time then gave Pakhtakor hope of reclaiming their place at the top of the table, but Tunisian midfielder Youssef Msakni struck midway through the second half to maintain Lekhwiya’s one point lead over the Uzbekistan champions at the top of the table.

Having scored twice in the closing stages last week to secure the win for Lekhwiya, Soria handed the visitors the ideal start at Pakhtakor Stadium as the Qatar international converted Issiar Dia’s inviting right wing cross from the edge of the six-yard area with barely 15 seconds on the clock.

But Pakhtakor were back on level terms midway through the first half as Lekhwiya could only partially clear a free-kick to the edge of the penalty area and Urunov ran in before spectacularly dispatching the dropping ball into the bottom corner with a first- time volley.

And Pakhtakor completed the turnaround 10 minutes into the second half as France-born naturalised Qatari defender Traore bundled Jamshid Iskanderov’s near post cross into his own net.

But Lekhwiya responded seven minutes after the hour mark as Msakni headed home Nam Tae-hee cross from the edge of the six-yard area with Pakhtakor goalkeeper Alexander Lobanov given no chance.