Uzbekistan narrowly defeated by Qatar in World Cup Qualifier

On November 14, in the 5th round of the Asian qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup, Uzbekistan’s national team faced a difficult match against Qatar in Group A.

The game began with a setback for Uzbekistan. In the 21st minute, team captain Eldor Shomurodov suffered an injury and was substituted by Jaloliddin Masharipov. Just four minutes later, Qatar’s Almoez Ali scored, giving the home team an early lead. Ali struck again in the 41st minute, securing a two-goal lead for Qatar by halftime.

In the second half, Uzbekistan came back with determination. Their efforts paid off in the 75th minute when Abbasbek Faizullayev scored with a header, narrowing the gap. Just five minutes later, Faizullayev scored again, bringing the game to a 2-2 tie. The game continued for an extended time, when Qatar's Lucas Mendes scored a decisive goal in the 112th minute, sealing the victory for Qatar.

With this loss, Uzbekistan remains in 2nd place in Group A with a total of 10 points.