The AFC U-23 Asian Cup is underway in Saudi Arabia. In the second round of Group C, the match between Uzbekistan and Iran ended in a 0–0 draw. After the game, Uzbekistan head coach Ravshan Haydarov shared his thoughts on the match.
According to Haydarov, it was difficult to play open football against Iran. He stressed that the main reason was their physical and technical superiority. Nevertheless, the team had a tactically prepared plan and tried to achieve it through long passes. To clarify, several effective long balls were played during the match, and the plan to build an attack after the goalkeeper’s distribution was also implemented.
The opponent’s defenders also pushed high, which led to several dangerous chances for both teams in the first half. Amirbek Saidov played a major role for Uzbekistan. By drawing defenders toward himself, he created space for his teammates to carry the ball forward.
Ravshan Haydarov noted that the players showed no fear and paid special attention to discipline. “We are in a development phase now, and in the future we will be able to play attacking football even against strong teams,” the coach said.
For the record, in the next round Uzbekistan U-21 will face South Korea on January 13. This match is truly important for the team and will open the way for the upcoming games.
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