How was the 2-0 lead lost? Expert points out Uzbekistan's mistakes

13 November 2026, 08:352 min read46

The intense and uncompromising friendly match (2-3) between the national teams of Uzbekistan and Russia at the Pakhtakor Stadium in Tashkent remains the center of discussion. The fact that our representatives were leading 2-0 but lost their advantage at the end of the match caught the attention of many experts.

Renowned football agent specializing in the Uzbek market, Jamol Akayev, shared his thoughts on the match, focusing on the reasons for the defeat and the tactical changes within the team.

«Open football, many situations, and beautiful goals»

According to the expert, the match was very interesting and eventful for the fans. He highlighted that open football was displayed and noted that the activity of the players who came off the bench for the guests had a serious impact on the outcome of the game.

«I think the match was very interesting for the spectators: open football, many dangerous situations in front of the goal, and plenty of goals. I liked the performance of the guys who came off the bench for the Russian national team», — said Akayev.

Key aspects of the agent's analysis	Expert opinions and conclusions
General view of the game	Open football, many goals, and an exciting clash for the fans
Cannavaro's approach	The head coach is still looking for the most optimal squad and formations
Squad news	A new combination of central defenders and trust placed in the youth
Tactical changes	The substitution of Kholmatov and the loss of the main balance

Experiments in the squad and the substitution of Kholmatov

Jamol Akayev also noted that head coach Fabio Cannavaro is still searching for the most optimal squad and game formation for the team, actively giving opportunities to young players along the way. In particular, he pointed out that it was the first game for this combination of central defenders and reminded that goalkeeper Vladimir Nazarov was playing only his third match for the national team.

At the same time, the expert focused on one of the important tactical aspects of the game:

«I specifically highlight the substitution of Azizjon Ganiev with Diyor Kholmatov as a negative point. Kholmatov handles the ball well, but Ganiev performs a completely different task. In this match, he was occupying a very important, almost key position. I consider the result natural and legitimate», — added the football agent.

Do you think such experiments by Fabio Cannavaro regarding the squad will pay off in future official matches? Leave your opinion in the comments!