Sports Digest: From Roma to City, Uzbek stars make their mark abroad

You can't play with a nation that has won on an open budget, even in football. Last week, Eldor Shomurodov was recognized as the best player of February at Roma, while this time Abdukodir Khusanov was recognized as the best player of the month at Manchester City.

Hello. This is a sports digest on QALAMPIR.UZ, covering the most important sports events of the past week that brought good fortune to Uzbek players abroad.

Shomurodov Scored the Winning Goal for Roma

Eldor Shomurodov, who came on as a substitute against Athletic, scored a decisive goal in the final minutes to secure a 2:1 victory for Roma. On the night of March 7, Roma hosted Athletic at home in the first leg of the Europa League round of 16. In that match, the guest striker Williams opened the scoring in the 50th minute, while Angelino equalized in the 56th minute. Then, in the minutes added to regular time, Shomurodov scored the winning goal for Roma.

Shomurodov's performance in the match was rated at 7.3 points by SofaScore. Despite entering the game in the 71st minute and receiving a yellow card immediately upon his appearance, the 29-year-old striker proved to be one of the match’s best players. During his roughly 20 minutes on the field, he touched the ball 12 times, completed 8 passes (7 of which reached their destination), and won one of 3 ball challenges. His one clear shot on target resulted in the crucial goal.

The best player of the match was recognized as the guest player Inaki Williams, who received a rating of 7.8 points, while Salimakers, who assisted Shomurodov's goal, also earned a high score of 7.8 points, matching Williams' rating.

After the match, Shomurodov emphasized that it is too early to celebrate the victory over Athletic and that focus must now shift to the return match. In a quick interview following the game, he stated:

“The most important thing is that we won. I am happy that I scored today. But it is too early to rejoice because there is a return match ahead. We work as a family. Each player should feel like an important member of the club. If there is confidence, the result will not be bad.”

Shomurodov also spoke about preparations for upcoming matches. “We need to start preparing for the next matches starting tomorrow. There is a match against Empoli on Sunday, and then the return match in Spain. It will not be easy to perform well against Athletic. We will go out to win,” he said.

For your information, the return match between Roma and Athletic will be held on the night of March 14 in Spain at the San Mamés Stadium.

Official: Khusanov Became the Best Player of the Month at Manchester City

Uzbek defender of the Manchester City club, Abdukodir Khusanov, was named the best player of the month for February at the club. This was reported by the team's press service. According to the source, the 21-year-old defender was named the best player of February, beating out such players as Yoszko Guardiola and Erling Haaland. In a survey that lasted several days, Abdukodir Khusanov received more than 64,000 votes.

Ravshan Haydarov Was Entrusted with an Important Task

The famous coach from Uzbekistan, Ravshan Haydarov, was appointed head coach of the U-23 national team of Uzbekistan. This was reported by the press service of the country's Football Association (UFA). At a meeting of the UFA Coaches Council, candidates for the management of the U-23 national team were discussed, and the candidacy of Ravshan Haydarov—one of Uzbekistan's most experienced specialists in working with youth and holder of the honorary title "Honored Sports Master of the Republic of Uzbekistan"—was put forward and approved by the leadership. It is worth noting that under the leadership of 63-year-old Haydarov, the national teams of various age groups have become two-time Asian champions and have participated twice in the World Cup.

"Pakhtakor" Surrendered the Star "Al-Hilol"

On March 4, the Tashkent club "Pakhtakor" defeated the Saudi "Al-Hilol" with a score of 1:0 in the first match of the 1/8 finals of the Elite tournament of the Asian Champions League. In the 29th minute of the match, the only goal for Pakhtakor was scored by the team's legionnaire Flamarion, with Brian Riascos providing the assist. The score remained unchanged until the end of the match, and Pakhtakor won the first leg. For information, the return match between these teams will be held on March 11 in Saudi Arabia.

After the Sensational Victory of Pakhtakor, the AFC Posted a Video About Tashkent

Following the exciting match between Pakhtakor and Al-Hilol in Tashkent, as part of the 1/8 finals of the Elite Asian Champions League, the official YouTube page of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) published a video about Tashkent. In the video, viewers can see the city's complexes, mosques, markets, and other structures that narrate the history of Tashkent, as well as images of city life and, of course, matches played by the Pakhtakor club.

“Tashkent is a city of tradition and ambition! From a deep football culture to dynamic real-city life, you can experience it. There is energy, history, and passion that make Tashkent a truly unique destination,” the video proclaims.

For your information, on March 4, the Lions won the match between Pakhtakor and Al-Hilol at the JAR Stadium with a score of 1:0. The return match between the two teams will be held in Riyadh on the night of March 12.