World Cup 2026 Qualifiers: Uzbekistan on the threshold of paradise
After two quite successful matches against Kyrgyzstan and Iran, Uzbekistan has one hand on the ticket to attend the 2026 World Cup.
In the 7th match of Group A, coach Timur Kapadze and his team welcomed their neighbor - Kyrgyzstan team at home. Although they were rated much higher than their opponent, Uzbekistan team only won with a minimum score of 1 - 0, thanks to Khojiakbar Alijonov's goal.
It is worth mentioning that the Uzbekistan team had an extra player in the first half after Said Datsiev was sent off and a penalty was awarded. Unfortunately, on the 11m mark, captain Eldor Shomurodov, a striker currently playing for AS Roma, was unable to defeat goalkeeper Erzhan Tokotayev.
In the 8th match, Eldor Shomurodov and his teammates traveled to Iran. With the excellent performance of the attack, the Uzbekistan team almost made the Iranian team regret. However, the 2-2 draw against the Iranian team was an "acceptable" result for coach Timur Kapadze and his team.
Thus, with 17 points in hand, the Uzbekistan team continues to maintain the 2nd position in Group A. Currently, the gap between them and the team right behind them, the UAE team, has increased to 4 points, while the 3rd qualifying roundWorld Cup 2026Asia region has only 2 more rounds to officially close.
Just need to win 3 points in 2 matches with UAE Team and Qatar Team next June, Uzbekistan Team will be present at the biggest football festival on the planet held in the summer of 2026 in the US - Canada - Mexico. Objectively speaking, this is a fairly easy task for Eldor Shomurodov and his teammates.
Don't forget, since separating from the Soviet Union (in 1991), the Uzbekistan team has never participated in a World Cup. If they don't stumble in the last 2 matches, they will have the honor of competing with the most powerful teams in the world at the 2026 World Cup.
It seems that the moment when Uzbekistan's national anthem is played at the World Cup is approaching very soon. Heaven is only half a step away from coach Timur Kapadze and his team. Let's wait and see if Eldor Shomurodov and his teammates can complete their "lifetime" goal?