Uzbekistan draws with Iran

Today, March 25, in the 8th round of the 2026 World Cup third qualifying round for the Asian region, Uzbekistan faced Iran in Tehran, with the match ending in a hard-fought 2-2 draw.  

In the 16th minute, Khajimat Erkinov opened the scoring for Uzbekistan. Early in the second half, in the 52nd minute, Mehdi Taremi equalized for Iran. Just a minute later, Abbos Fayzullaev restored Uzbekistan's lead with a goal from a free kick, making it 2-1. However, in the 83rd minute, Taremi struck again, leveling the score at 2-2. Throughout the match, Uzbekistan's goalkeeper, Utkir Yusupov, made several crucial saves. The score remained unchanged until the final whistle, ending the match in a competitive draw.  

After the 8th round, Iran secured their spot in the World Cup ahead of schedule. Meanwhile, Uzbekistan, with 17 points, moved into second place and remains in strong contention for World Cup qualification.