Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Tehran: Syria advanced to the quarter-finals of the 2012 AFC U-16 Championship with a 1-0 win over Uzbekistan in a dramatic conclusion to Group D, which ended with the Uzbeks also advancing to the last-eight thanks to India's stoppage-time equaliser against China.
Subie Al Husni scored the only goal of the game 32 minutes into the first-half of a hard-fought encounter at the PAS Stadium in which both sides had goals disallowed as the Syrians finished top of Group D ahead of the Uzbeks, who had gone into the thrilling final day topping the table.
With just three points separating leaders Uzbekistan and bottom-of-the-table India, all four teams were still in contention for the two quarter-final spots as Group D came down to the wire on the final day of group stage matches.
Uzbekistan made two changes from the that side that drew 1-1 with China in their last match with head coach Dilshod Nuraliyev giving goalkeeper Sarvar Karimov a run out in place of captain Shokhrukhjon Eshbutaev and Alisher Mirzaev replacing Javokhir Sidikov in midfield.
Syrian coach Muhannad Al Fakeer also made two changes to his starting 11 with Omar Mshhdani and Subie Al Husni coming in for Abdulatef Salkeni and Bakr Ghalyoum.
Karimov was beaten in the sixth minute but thankfully for the Uzbeks Japanese referee Toma Masaki had blown for a foul before Mohammad Srour bundled the ball into the back of the net.
The Uzbeks came close to breaking the deadlock in the 17th minute but Mukhiddin Odilov, who wore the captain's armband in place of Eshbutaev, dragged his low shot wide of Khaled Ibrahim's right-hand post after being set up well by Doctonbek Khamadov.
Syria had the ball in the net again and this time there were no complaints with Subie Al Husni's angled drive from inside the Uzbek penalty box giving the West Asians a 32nd minute lead which they almost extended in first-half stoppage-time when a mistake from Ibrokhim Abdulaev allowed Srour to surge down the left flank before setting up Hndawi, whose shot was palmed to safety by Uzbek keeper Karimov.
Odilov had three clear-cut chances to equalise for the Uzbeks in a three-minute spell at the start of the second-half, with the Uzbek skipper hitting the crossbar from eight yards out in the 49th minute and then being denied by Ibrahim a minute later before knocking the ball wide of the Syrian keeper and his left hand post.
Uzbekistan almost paid for their profligacy soon after with Karimov getting down sharply to gather Mshhdani's 56th minute shot before the Uzbek keeper was on hand to block Mohamad Diyarbakrli's effort two minutes later.
Ibrahim pushed away a substitute Islombek Karimov's dipping 25-yard shot in the 77th minute as the Uzbeks continued to push for the equaliser, which they though had come four minutes later when Shohjahon Abbasov flicked the ball in from close range but the forward's effort was ruled out for offside.
The Uzbeks laid siege on the Syrian goal but Syria's defence stood firm until the final whistle signalled an outbreak of joy for Al Fakker's young charges as the Uzbeks dropped to the PAS Stadium pitch in despair.
But that all changed within a matter of seconds when news had filtered back about India's last-gasp leveller changing the complexion of the group, with Uzbekistan advancing at the expense of China.