Uzbekistan down UAE, advance in AFC U-23
abu dhabi — Uzbekistan beat the UAE 2-0 to top Group D and qualify into the AFC U-23 Championship 2018 at Tahnoun Bin Mohamed stadium in Al Ain on Wednesday.
The UAE would rue a host of missed chances that could have turned the match the UAE way but it wasn’t meant to be.
The first-half remained goalless but the second saw two being put past UAE keeper Mohammed Busanda. It was, however, the Emirati keeper who made a top save in the first half to keep out Zabikhillo Urinboev’s header. The UAE had their moments through striker Mohammad Al Akberi and Suhail Saeed but both couldn’t get better of keeper Botirali Ergashev.
Enter second half and first goal came through a corner as Islomjon Kobilov towered over the UAE defenders to score. What followed was a sustained pressure from the UAE but couldn’t result in goals.
The last quarter saw the UAE hunting earnestly more in search of an equaliser but Uzbek midfielder Sidikov Javokhir hit the final nail with a powerful finish.
It was a textbook goal where Bobir Abdixolikov drew the UAE defence’s attention and set it up for Javokhir to let go a rocket past keeper Busanda.
The UAE kept pushing in final minutes and striker Ali Eid Al Yahyaee had an opportunity to score but couldn’t find power to his finish.
The UAE can still finish as one of the five or six best runners-up.
ashwani@khaleejtimes.com