FC Istiklol Dushanbe earned a hard-fought 2-1 home win over Al Zawraa in their AFC Champions League 2 group stage match on October 22, 2025. The victory provided a vital boost for the Tajik champions in their quest to avoid finishing at the bottom of a tough group. Playing in front of their home supporters, FC Istiklol started brightly and took a deserved lead midway through the first half. Al Zawraa responded strongly after the break, equalizing with a well-taken goal to set up a tense finale. However, the home side showed great resilience, restoring their lead with about fifteen minutes remaining and then holding on doggedly to secure the three points. The win gave FC Istiklol their first points of the campaign and injected some belief into their squad. The manager praised his players' mentality in seeing out a close game under pressure.