This season, two teams representing Uzbekistan — "Nasaf" and "Andijon" — participated in international competitions to uphold the country's honor. However, the end of the season did not meet the expectations of many fans.
As the champion of Uzbekistan, the "Dragons" competed in the Elite Asian Champions League. "Andijon," on the other hand, participated in the AFC Champions League 2 tournament, considered the second-tier competition in the continent. Both teams were placed in groups packed with very strong opponents, which directly impacted their results.
The Qarshi team faced challenges against some of Asia's strongest clubs, such as "Al-Ahli," "Al-Hilal," "Shabab Al-Ahli," "Al-Wahda," "Tractor," and "Al-Ittihad." Unfortunately, they suffered defeats in all these matches, losing their chance to compete for the playoff stage. As a result, "Nasaf" recorded the lowest performance in the AFC Champions League among Uzbekistan's champions, setting an unfavorable anti-record.
The statistics also clearly reflect the difficult season for the team: in the matches against their opponents, "Nasaf" conceded 15 goals but managed to score only 5 in return. Upcoming matches include games against "Al-Shorta" and "Sharjah," but even maximum points from these games will not allow them to progress from the group stage.
"Andijon," competing in Group B, faced teams such as Qatar's "Al-Ahli," Turkmenistan's "Arkadag," and Bahrain's "Al-Khaldiya." The team had more draws than defeats: 5 out of 6 matches ended in a draw, with only one match resulting in a loss. With 5 points, "Andijon" finished in fourth — the last — position in their group. Advancement to the next stage was secured by "Al-Ahli" and "Arkadag."
In conclusion, the two clubs have so far accumulated a total of 5 points. This figure might slightly change depending on "Nasaf's" performance in their remaining matches, but the overall picture has already become evident.
Now, attention shifts to the next season. Next year, Uzbekistan will be represented in international competitions by "Neftchi" and "Pakhtakor." Fans have one hope: stronger and more deserving results on the continental stage.
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