“When I took the penalty, my heart sank” – Otabek Shukurov (video)

Uzbekistan national team member Otabek Shukurov shared his thoughts on the penalty kick he took during the match against the UAE.

According to Shukurov, he initially intended to place the penalty to the right but changed his decision at the last moment.

“I wanted to kick the penalty to the other side. The goalkeeper is from 'Al-Ain,' and I played for 'Sharjah,' so he knew where I was likely to shoot. Honestly, I intended to strike hard to the left at first, but at the last moment, I decided to change my target and kicked to the right. That’s why my heart sank,” said Shukurov.

It’s worth noting that there were earlier reports about why Jaloliddin Masharipov chose not to take the penalty himself and instead passed the responsibility to Otabek Shukurov.

Reportedly, some players from the UAE team had previously played with Masharipov at "Shabab Al-Ahli." One of Masharipov’s former teammates provided the goalkeeper with information about how Masharipov typically takes penalties. Recognizing this, the Uzbekistan national team leader opted not to take the shot to avoid repeating the mistakes made during the Asian Championship hosted by Qatar.