Abdukodir Khusanov played an important match with Uzbekistan this Thursday in Qatar, as part of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers in Asia. The defender of RC Lens and his teammates, however, lost 3-2 after a very cruel scenario.
Holder at the heart of a three-way defense and aligned throughout the match, the Lensois had a difficult first period with his team. The Uzbeks were trailing 2-0 at the break thanks to a double from Almoez Ali (25', 41'). But they were able to come back to level at the end of the match thanks to a double from Abbosbek Fayzullaev (75', 80'). They seemed to hold a very precious share of points before cracking after very long stoppages in play, Lucas Mendes scoring in the 112th minute.
A lead over the 3rd which is reduced
This match was an opportunity for Uzbekistan, leading with Iran with 10 points at the start of the day, to keep a direct competitor at bay. In the end, the Uzbeks saw Qatar but also the United Arab Emirates return to within 3 points of their 2nd place directly qualifying for the 2026 World Cup. Iran for its part now alone occupies the lead thanks to a 3-2 victory against North Korea.
At the halfway mark, Iran is in the lead with 13 points ahead of Uzbekistan 10 points. Qatar and the United Arab Emirates follow with 7 points. In these qualifiers, the first two will qualify for the World Cup while the 3rd and 4th will play in the play-offs. There are still 5 days to go. The next will see Abdukodir Khusanov's team face North Korea, last in this group of 6 teams and who will host Laos on Tuesday at 1 p.m.
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