Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Taipei: Uzbekistan made it two wins from two at the AFC Futsal Championship 2018 as a 4-2 victory over Tajikistan in Group B on Saturday saw them edge closer to a spot in the quarter-finals.
After an even opening period to the game at University of Taipei Gymnasium it was Uzbekistan who struck first in the ninth minute when Konstandin Svidirov squared a free-kick for Dilshod Rakhmatov to finish.
The 2016 runners-up then doubled their advantage in the 12th minute through Davron Choriev, whose cheeky backheel deflected off goalkeeper Firuz Bekmurodov and into the back of the net.
But the Tajiks pulled one back three minutes before the interval when Rahmonali Sharipov slipped in Umed Kusiev to side-foot home as the sides went into the break with just a goal separating them.
Having pushed Japan all the way in their opening fixture, Tajikistan then started the second half brightly as they sought their first points of the campaign, although it was Uzbekistan who almost stretched their lead when Ilhomjon Hamroev’s effort was cleared off the line by Dilshod Salomov.
www.the-afc.com/en/more/photo/uzbekistan_celebrate_-_fc2018.html
