AFC Asian Qualifiers
Iran topped the group ahead of Uzbekistan due to a superior goal difference with head coach Amir Ghalenoei keen to praise his players for overcoming difficult traveling conditions as well as Uzbekistan’s rise in recent years.
"I would like to thank the fans for their support until the last seconds. I would also like to give special thanks to my players,” said Ghalenoei.
“We made a 20-hour flight to Hong Kong in difficult conditions, which had an effect on many. We did not play well in the first half because of fatigue. We have to play better in the next round.
“It’s worth noting that Uzbekistan has made good investments in football in recent years and is achieving significant results. Uzbekistan has achieved growth with two players becoming champions and runners-up in Iran.”
Chances were few and far in between in a tight match with the best opportunity falling the way of Mehdi Taremi but the woodwork denied the forward.
The stalemate was the first time since the 1-0 defeat to the United States in the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 that Iran were not able to find the back of the net, leaving Uzbekistan head coach Srecko Katanec pleased with his defence.
"The match went well and I am satisfied with the result,” said Katanec. “Today, we acted confidently in defence and did not give Iran clear-cut chances.
“In the second half, the opponents hit the post but in general, we played a good game and I am glad that no player was injured.
“We showed good aggression on the pitch and while we could have done better from an attacking standpoint, it was important for us not to lose the game.”
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