Saudi Arabia's Al Shehri shifts attention to Australia

Mon, 13 Jun, 2022

Saudi Arabia's Al Shehri shifts attention to Australia

Lokomotiv: Saad Al Shehri wants Saudi Arabia to quickly turn their attention to Australia following their 2-0 victory over Vietnam in the AFC U23 Asian Cup™ Uzbekistan 2022 quarter-finals on Sunday.

Saudi Arabia started the match at the Lokomotiv Stadium on the backfoot but slowly regained their composure to overwhelm their opponents with goals through Moteb Al Harbi and Firas Al Brikan.

The win sets up Saudi Arabia perfectly for Australia, who edged Turkmenistan 1-0 in their quarter-final, with the last four tie to be played on Wednesday.

www.the-afc.com/en/national/afc_u23_asian_cup/video/afcu23_-_quarter-finals_|_saudi_arabia_2_-_0_vietnam.html

Gong proud of Vietnam’s fighting spirit

Mon, 13 Jun, 2022

Gong proud of Vietnam’s fighting spirit

Tashkent: After 17 days in Tashkent, head coach Gong Oh-kyun and Vietnam bade farewell to the AFC U23 Asian Cup™ Uzbekistan 2022 following their 2-0 defeat to Saudi Arabia in the quarter-finals on Sunday.

Vietnam started strongly, but the Southeast Asian side eventually conceded to Saudi Arabia’s superiority at the Lokomotiv Stadium. 

Oiwa: Japan players lived up to expectations

Mon, 13 Jun, 2022

Oiwa: Japan players lived up to expectations

Tashkent: Japan’s hard work paid off as they dethroned defending champions Korea Republic to book their spot in the AFC U23™ Asian Cup Uzbekistan 2022 semi-finals on Sunday.

Go Oiwa’s side produced their best form of the tournament to defeat their East Asian rivals 3-0 with the tactician hailing his players for rising to the occasion at the Pakhtakor Stadium.

Fans, head coach powered Young White Wolves, says Jaloliddinov

Sun, 12 Jun, 2022

Fans, head coach powered Young White Wolves, says Jaloliddinov

Tashkent: For Jasurbek Jaloliddinov, it was the partisan fans and head coach Timur Kapadze who drove Uzbekistan into the semi-finals of the AFC U23 Asian Cup™ Uzbekistan 2022 on Saturday.

Things seemed bleak for the hosts when goalkeeper Abduvohid Nematov was given his marching orders for violent conduct as early as the 13th minute against Iraq, who then scored off the subsequent penalty at the Pakhtakor Stadium. 

Job not done as Olyroo Francois targets title

Sun, 12 Jun, 2022

Job not done as Olyroo Francois targets title

Tashkent: A buoyant Tyrese Francois is determined to lead Australia to the AFC U23 Asian Cup™ Uzbekistan 2022 title after their 1-0 quarter-final win over Turkmenistan on Saturday.

An own goal by Oraz Orazov in the 74th minute saw Australia reach their second successive AFC U23 Asian Cup semi-finals, with a last four tie against either Saudi Arabia or Vietnam to come.

Kapadze: Uzbekistan showed amazing spirit in overcoming Iraq

Sun, 12 Jun, 2022

Kapadze: Uzbekistan showed amazing spirit in overcoming Iraq

Tashkent: While admitting that his side found themselves in a rather sticky situation in their AFC U23 Asian Cup™ Uzbekistan 2022 quarter-final against Iraq, head coach Timur Kapadze was proud with the amazing response his Uzbekistan players produced to book their semi-final spot.

Reduced to 10 men following goalkeeper Abduvohid Nematov’s sending off for violent conduct at the Pakhtakor Stadium on Saturday, Uzbekistan fought back from 1-0 down to lead 2-1, only for penalties to be needed to decide the last eight tie after Iraq equalised to take the match into extra-time.

Uzbekistan proved to be the cooler of the two sides in the shootout, with the 2018 champions advancing with a 3-2 win.

Morgan pleased with Australia’s creativity

Sun, 12 Jun, 2022

Morgan pleased with Australia’s creativity

Tashkent: Head coach Trevor Morgan believes his Australian side’s creativity led to their 1-0 win over Turkmenistan in their AFC U23 Asian Cup™ Uzbekistan 2022 quarter-final tie on Saturday.

After holding Australia for nearly three quarters of the match, Turkmenistan’s Oraz Orazov conceded an own goal in the 74th minute, which sent the Olyroos through to face either Saudi Arabia or Vietnam in the semi-finals. 

Inter-Confederation Playoff - Preview: Australia v Peru

Sun, 12 Jun, 2022

Inter-Confederation Playoff - Preview: Australia v Peru

Doha: Australia head coach Graham Arnold believes the Socceroos are capable of surprising Peru when the two teams lock horns in the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Inter-Confederation Playoff at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium on Monday.

The two sides were pitted together in Group C of the FIFA World Cup Russia 2018 and Peru emerged 2-0 winners thanks to a first-half volley from current Al Hilal SFC winger Andre Carrillo and iconic forward Paolo Guerrero, who misses out on the squad for Monday’s game through injury.

But Arnold, who took over the Socceroos job from Bert van Marwijk after the Peru defeat which ended their FIFA World Cup campaign at the group stage, believes his charges are now a more youthful and technically capable side than four years earlier.