Asian Cup 2015: Uzbekistan send Saudi Arabia packing from tournament with 3-1 win
UZBEKISTAN knock Saudi Arabia out of the Asian Cup, a 3-1 win for the White Wolves setting up a quarterfinal date with Korea Republic.
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UZBEKISTAN is through to the Asian Cup quarterfinals after its 3-1 win over Saudi Arabia at AAMI Park on Sunday night.
And, after stumbling on to what appears to be the easier side of the draw, the 2011 semi-finalists would rate their chances of doing some damage in this tournament yet.
The White Wolves will play South Korea, again at AAMI Park, on Thursday night after a classy Sardor Rashidov double - the first after just 86 seconds - and a 71st minute header from substitute Vokhid Shodiev was enough to see them home in front of 10,871 fans.
But it was a win that could have been denied to them after some controversial officiating by Australian referee Ben Williams, who awarded a questionable penalty in the 59th minute, converted by Mohammed Al Sahlawi, and denied Bakhodir Nasimov a go-ahead goal four minutes later.
Favoured to top the group, the Uzbeks suffered a shock loss to China at Suncorp Stadium last Thursday, plunging them in to a must-win battle with the Green Falcons.
But the slip up may have worked in its favour given it has now avoided a quarterfinal with hosts Australia and is also likely to be on the opposite side of the draw to defending champions Japan.
Given South Korea’s injury and illness woes and its dour, albeit effective, trio of 1-0 wins over Oman, Kuwait and the Socceroos, the 71st-ranked Uzbeks will rate their chances of causing an upset on Thursday.
But Rashidov wasn’t getting carried away.
“I am happy that I scored two goals today ... it was some (win) because we lost to Saudi in previous Asian Cup,” he said.
“We expected a very tough match, but we wanted to win. We knew we must. We are very happy now.”
Rashidov’s opening strike was well taken after he took advantage of a poor defensive clearance.
The midfielder got around Omar Howsawi after the Saudi defender slipped and then, after racing inside the box, turned himself inside out and struck low in to the net with his right foot.
Uzbekistan dominated the early exchanges, but by half time Saudi Arabia had worked its way back in to the match on the back of possession dominance.
Still, its 60th minute equaliser wasn’t deserved after contact that was clearly initiated by Naif Hazazi on left back Vitaliy Denisov was given as a penalty to Saudi Arabia.
Al Sahlawi’s conversion should have been cancelled out in the 64th minute after Nasimov poked home from a set piece that was initially saved by Abdullah, only for Williams to again controversially rule that Anzur Ismailov had fouled Al Sahlawi in the build up.
Uzbekistan’s reward was still to come though when Shodiev beat Yasir Alshahrani in the air to powerfully head home a brilliant Shavkatjon Mullahjanov cross from the left, before Rashidov sealed the win 11 minutes from time after being played through by Jasur Khasanov.
Saudi coach Cosmin Olaroiu said his side paid the price for poor mistakes in defence.
“It’s disappointing, they were very easy goals,” he said.
“But sometimes this is football, maybe we don’t deserve more.”
Originally published as Asian Cup 2015: Uzbekistan send Saudi Arabia packing from tournament with 3-1 win
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