Defeat could benefit Uzbekistan - Alisher Nikimbaev

The loss in the Qatar-Uzbekistan match during the fifth round of the World Cup qualifiers might prompt Slovenian coach Srechko Katanets to rethink his strategies. Football expert Alisher Nikimbaev expressed this view on his Telegram channel.  

"Our team lost a match yesterday that could have ended in a loss, a win, or a draw. Ultimately, a draw seemed fair, but it was unattainable. When I predicted a draw between Qatar and the DPRK, many disagreed with me. However, the team still has a chance to challenge my expectations by defeating DPRK in Laos," Nikimbaev stated.  

Nikimbaev also highlighted the potential positive outcomes of the defeat against Qatar, suggesting it could lead Katanets to reconsider his principles.  

"This defeat could actually benefit the team. It might make those prematurely booking tickets to the US reconsider. The loss may push Katanets to rethink some of his principles. However, for this positive impact to take effect, we need to understand a crucial point: to identify the real enemy, one must look in the mirror. The blame lies within, not with others," the expert explained.  

It is worth noting that Uzbekistan's national team captain, Eldor Shomurodov, is set to miss the match against North Korea. He sustained an injury during the match against Qatar and was substituted in the 21st minute.