Sports / Teams
Uzbekstan (Group C)
Updated: 2007-07-07 20:38
Hopes were high for Uzbek football when their national team emerged
victorious in their first-ever venture in Asian football in 1994, but the
former Soviet republic have since failed to deliver on the international
stage.
Having gained independence after the dissolution of the Soviet Union,
Uzbekistan enjoyed a sensational debut at the 1994 Asian Games as Rustam
Akramov's side swept all before them in Hiroshima, winning all seven of
their games to capture the gold medal. However, the Central Asian side
would be brought back down to earth in the United Arab Emirates two years
later when they took part in the Asian Cup for the first time as they
missed out on the knockout phase of the competition.
Their participation in the 2000 tournament in Lebanon would prove an
embarrassment as Yuri Sarkisyan took charge of the side barely three
months before the tournament commenced following the sudden resignation
of Russian coach Paval Sadryin. Having drawn their opening game with
Qatar 1-1, they were then torn apart by Japan, who thumped the Uzbeks
8-1, the second largest margin in Asian Cup history.
A 5-0 hammering by Saudi Arabia in their final group match meant that
they bowed out of the tournament having conceded an astounding 14 goals
in only three games. They proved a far more competitive outfit four years
later and emerged as one of the tournament favourites in China after
becoming the only team to take maximum points during the opening round,
setting up a pulsating quarter-final in Chengdu against Bahrain. But
there would be no happy ending for the Uzbeks as they went out on
penalties.
There would be further heartache at the hands of the Bahrainis a year
later when they were controversially defeated in a World Cup
qualification play-off by the Gulf state. The Central Asians had a 1-0
home win annulled after a technical error by referee Toshimitsu Yoshida
and the Bahrainis took full advantage, holding Uzbekistan to a 1-1 draw
in the replayed game as they advanced on away goals.
Englishman Bobby Houghton stepped down after the World Cup qualification
exit and former Russian Vladimir Nepomniatchi took charge for the Asian
Cup qualification campaign in 2006. Uzbekistan were the top ranked team
in Group F and they had a solid start with a 5-0 destruction of
Bangladesh in their opener. But a 2-1 defeat against Qatar and a sloppy
2-2 draw in Tashkent against Hong Kong put their qualification hopes in
some jeopardy.
An unconvincing goalless draw in Hong Kong followed before the Uzbeks
finally sealed their place in the finals with a 4-0 victory in Bangladesh
and a 2-0 win against group winners Qatar. With former Uzbekistan U-23
boss Rauf Inileyev now in charge, the Central Asians will be hoping that
they will be able to rediscover their form in Malaysia this July and
improve on their display at the 2004 Asian Cup.
Despite last year's retirement of Kasimov, Inileyev has a talented squad
at his disposal with Dynamo Kiev's Maksim Shatskikh still in his
goal-scoring prime while Server Djeparov has taken over much of the
creative duties since Kasimov stood down.
Goalkeepers
1 Pavel Bugalo
12 Ignatiy Nesterov
21 Gayrat Hasanov
Defenders
2 Hayrulla Karimov
3 Botir Karaev
4 Aziz Ibragimov
5 Asror Aliqulov
6 Anzur Ismailov
17 Aleksey Nikolaev
19 Islom Innomov
24 Komoloddin Tadjiev
25 Ilhomjon Suyunov
28 Anvar Gafurov
Midfielders
7 Aziz Haydarov
8 Server Djeperov
13 Khikmatjon Khoshimov
14 Mansurjon Saidov
18 Timur Kapadze
20 Ildar Magdeev
22 Iqboljon Akramov
23 Vitaliy Denisov
26 Victor Karpenko
27 Odil Ahmedov
29 Hamza Karimov
30 Jasur Hasanov
Forwards
9 Pavel Solomin
10 Ulugbek Bakaev
11 Marat Bimaev
15 Aleksandr Geynrikh
16 Maksim Shatskikh
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