U-23 Asian Cup: Uzbekistan beat Qatar to reach quarters

Pakhtakor: Uzbekistan defeated Qatar 6-0 to ebook their spot within the AFC U23 Asian Cup Uzbekistan 2022 quarter-finals yesterday.

The 2018 champions produced a scorching present earlier than their adoring followers on the Pakhtakor Stadium as they superior with a match to spare, as they added to the 1-0 win over Turkmenistan on Matchday One to guarantee themselves of high spot in Group A. 

Uzbekistan’s Jasurbek Jaloliddinov who stole the highlight contained in the opening 4 minutes. 

The unmarked Uzbek captain raced down the pitch earlier than letting unfastened a crackling strike from exterior the field that deflected off the within of the upright and into the web, leaving Qatar goalkeeper Salah Zakaria shocked and the house supporters wild on the Pakhtakor Stadium. 

Within the twentieth minute, Erkinov collected Abubakir Ashurov’s long-range cross into the ultimate third, and the Pakhtakor midfielder Hojimat Erkinov displayed his ability in dribbling previous the Qatari defence earlier than beating Zakaria together with his strike from an acute angle. 

Backed by an enormous turnout on the Pakhtakor Stadium, Uzbekistan stored at it and ultimately discovered their third in first half added time following a swift counter-attacking transfer, with an unstoppable Erkinov shortly selecting himself up following a Yousef Ayman sort out to proceed surging down the pitch earlier than discovering Norchaev, who had the easy job of tapping house to make it 3-0. 

Qatar had a brighter begin to the second half, however alternatives have been few and much between, with their finest likelihood coming within the 52nd minute when Yusuf Abdurisag received on the tip of a sequence of passes within the field, however may solely drive a parry from goalkeeper Abduvakhid Nematov. 

Norchaev and Khoshimov have been a formidable pair, and the duo threatened on the hour-mark with Zakaria spilling Norchaev’s effort, with Khoshimov changing the unfastened ball with ease. 

Norchaev was on the coronary heart of the motion once more simply three minutes later, this time forcing an error from Ayman to place Uzbekistan 5 objectives up, earlier than substitute Ruslanbek Jiyanov additional punished Qatar with an unbelievable strike previous Zakaria within the 67th minute. 

Qatar must defeat Turkmenistan on Tuesday to maintain their hopes alive, whereas Uzbekistan face Islamic Republic of Iran, who additionally want a win after falling 2-1 to Turkmenistan earlier yesterday.