The FIFA U-17 World Cup, taking place in Qatar, has reached its peak. On the next day of the competition, 8 group matches were held, and through these matches, the participants of the playoffs were determined.
Three countries representing Asia - Uzbekistan, Saudi Arabia, and Tajikistan - have concluded their final group matches. Among them, only the champion of the continent, Uzbekistan, managed to win and advance to the playoff stage, the-afc.com reports.
The teams of Saudi Arabia and Tajikistan did not win their matches - the Saudis lost to Mali, and the Tajik players lost to Burkina Faso with a score of 0:2.
Also, the Uzbekistan youth team, led by Islombek Ismailov, played against Panama in the decisive match of Group "J" and won with a score of 6:1. With this result, the team not only secured a spot in the playoffs, but also worthily defended the honor of Asian football.
The official website of the Asian Football Confederation, emphasizing the victory of Uzbek youth, wrote:
"Uzbekistan's footballers confidently advanced to the knockout stage of the World Cup in Qatar. Having shown a bright and impressive game, the Uzbeks defeated Panama with a score of 6:1."
The first half of the match went quite cautiously. The opponents chose a cautious game, but Panama earned a penalty in the 32nd minute. However, Uzbek goalkeeper Ibrahim Shokirov showed his skill and managed to save an 11-meter shot from Estevis Lopez. This moment became the turning point of the meeting.
With the start of the second half, the Uzbekistan team took the initiative. In the 48th minute, Abubakr Shukurullayev scored a goal and opened the scoring. This goal gave the team strength and confidence. Later, Sadriddin Khasanov, Sayfiddin Sodikov, Jamshidbek Rustamov, and Asilbek Aliyev scored one goal each, and then Abdusamad Saidov converted a penalty, bringing the score to 6:0.
In the added time of the match, Panamanian Joseph Pacheco scored the only goal that saved the honor of the team - 6:1. This result was noted as a historic victory for Uzbekistan.
In the second group match, Ireland drew 0-0 with Paraguay, maintaining their lead. Paraguay advanced to the playoffs from among the third-placed teams with the best performance.
The Uzbekistan youth national team will now face Croatia, one of the strongest teams in Europe, in the next stage of the competition. The Croatians finished Group "C" with 7 points and are considered a very physically fit, technical team.
In his post-match comment, coach Islombek Ismailov said:
"The young men worked confidently, each of them sacrificed their lives to uphold the honor of the Motherland. This victory is a source of inspiration for us. But the main road is still ahead - even stronger opponents await in the playoffs."
For the Uzbekistan national team, this victory is not just the result of one game, but an important milestone in the development of national football. At each meeting, young people gain new experience and demonstrate their skills to the world.
Now all attention is focused on the Uzbekistan - Croatia match, which will take place on November 14. Fans expect a new victory and a new history from the national team - as these young players are making their mark on the world stage.
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