“I'm so proud of my players,” said Ismoilov. “I don't know if I have ever seen any other team come back in such conditions, this is fantastic.

“I do not know whether it was a red card or not. At half-time, I asked the players whether they want to win. If they do, then they have to fight for themselves because no one else can change their fortunes.

“We had confidence in our coaching staff and players. We were in a difficult condition after losing two players, one forward and one defender. It changed our plans but thankfully, we were able to find the solutions to win the match.”

The latest success continues a positive trend in Uzbekistan football, having won the AFC U20 Asian Cup™ in 2023 and also qualifying for the Olympics for the first time when they reached Paris 2024.

Ismoilov believes the uptrend is here to stay thanks to the foundation work laid by those in charge.

“Our President and UFA (Uzbekistan Football Association) work hard every year to develop Uzbek football.  All the academies and schools work in the same system. The country has a lot of talent. If we train everyone the right way, our football will continue to develop.”