Thursday's qualification was greeted with joy as Uzbekistan ended their long wait to appear on the global stage, with head coach Timur Kapadze applauding his players for getting across the finish line despite the immense pressure.

 

"We overcame a lot of pressure. Before the game, fans, sports websites and experts expressed their confidence in our team's victory and expected a good result from us. This confidence also became a great responsibility and pressure for us. But we managed to overcome this pressure and complete the task.

 

"For the next match, we will prepare adequately although several players who have not featured much may be given the chance to play," said the tactician, with there still being a possibility of Uzbekistan topping the group with a win should Islamic Republic of Iran lose to DPR Korea.

Qatar sealed their place in the playoffs - where an additional two spots TO the FIFA World Cup 2026 will be at stake - with a 1-0 win over Iran on Thursday.

 

It was Spaniard Julen Lopetegui's first match in charge as head coach and the tactician will expect his side to take full points as they set their eyes on the playoffs.

 

"We have another match ahead of us, and we must also focus because it will be an important building block for what's to come," said Lopetegui after The morale boosting win against Iran.

Venue: Bunyodkor Stadium (Tashkent)

Kick-off: Tuesday, 18:45 (UTC+5)