Uzbekistan defeats North Korea in tough match

On November 19, the Uzbekistan national football team won 1-0 in an away match against the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) in the third round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers for the Asian continent.  

Despite several chances created throughout the game, the only goal of the match came from Abbosbek Fayzullaev in the 44th minute. The 21-year-old midfielder scored with a long-range shot that deflected off a North Korean player and found its way into the back of the net, giving Uzbekistan the lead.  

In the 83rd minute, a key moment occurred when an Uzbek defender handled the ball in the penalty area during a North Korean attack. Referee Umar Eshmurodov showed a red card to the Uzbek player and awarded a penalty to North Korea. However, Uzbekistan’s goalkeeper, Utkir Yusupov, came up with a crucial save, denying the North Koreans an equalizer and playing a pivotal role in securing the win.  

With this victory, Uzbekistan’s national team increased their points total to 13, securing second place in the group. North Korea, still winless after six rounds, remains at the bottom of the group with just 2 points.  

In the other matches of the group, Kyrgyzstan will face Iran, and the UAE will take on Qatar. The Kyrgyzstan-Iran match will kick off at 19:00, while the UAE-Qatar match will begin at 21:00.