Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Yangon: A brace for Uzbekistan's Zabikhillo Urinboev returned his nation to their second AFC U-19 Championship semi-final in a row, after they defeated Group A winners Thailand 2-1 in Friday's quarter-final clash at Thuwunna Youth Training Centre Stadium.
Prolific forward Urinboev scored his fourth and fifth goals of the tournament to put his side two goals to the good within the opening 20 minutes before slow start to the second half from Uzbekistan let Thailand back into the game through a finish from War Elephants' captain Chenrop Samphaodi on 47 minutes.
However, the Central Asians were able to hold out and they booked a semi-final meeting with DPR Korea, the victors in a penalty shootout with Japan in their quarter-final, on Monday. The result also secures Uzebkistan a place at the 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup for the second consecutive appearance at the finals.
And Uzbekistan got off to the ideal start against Thailand with an early lead coming on the fifth minute when Jamshid Boltaboev made the running to get in and behind Thailand's right flank and square the ball for a well-placed Urinboev to slot home from close range.
Another quarter of an hour has passed before Uzbekistan's continued pressure saw Eldor Shomurodov make a cross from their right, just outside the top of the box, to find the powerful figure of Urinboev (pictured), too much for the Thailand defence to handle, head home his second.
Moments later Uzbekistan almost made it three, had it not been for a fine save made low and to the right of Thai goalkeeper Rattanai Songsangchan, from an Otabek Shukurov 30 yard free kick.
And then Urinboev came close to a hat-trick, rattling the underside of the bar but bouncing out following a shot from an outreached foot stretching for a Shukurov cross, as Uzbekistan threatened to run riot.
After the half-time interval, though, Uzbekistan were caught napping just one minute into the new half. What seemed like a harmless pass from Prasid Jantum led to a communications breakdown between Khamraev and his defence and the keeper left standing as Chenrop jumped in and slipped the ball into the net.
Uzbekistan looked to get back on top and quiet the game down in the minutes that followed; a tactic that largely seemed to succeed when on the 69th minute it looked as if they would restore their two-goal cushion.
Dostonbek Khamdamov slid with outstretch leg looking to get onto the end of a pass that needed only moving inches forward to give Uzbekistan some comfort for the final half hour, but a heroic attempt by Nopphon Phonkam was successful, his boot curling around the ball to remove the danger.
Thailand relied on fine saves from Rattanai to keep them in the game until the final minutes, particularly from a Shukurov volley and Khamdamov long range effort in the closing minutes but ultimately their attack could not break down the strong Uzbekistan defence and the Central Asians march on to a clash with East Asian giants DPR Korea.