Al Khor: Defending champions Qatar will play against the Islamic Republic of Iran in the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023™ semi-final on Wednesday. Marquez Lopes’ side defeated Uzbekistan 3-2 in a penalty shoot-out at Al Bayt Stadium on Saturday, following a 1-1 draw.
Goalkeeper
Meshaal Barsham saved spot-kicks from Rustamjon Ashurmatov, Zafarmurod
Abdirakhmatov, and Jaloliddin Masharipov to get Pedro Positioned up to score
the triumphant punishment and bring the hosts into the last four.
The shoot-out win came after the Qataris had started to lead the pack in the 27th moment when commander Hassan Al Haydos shot from a tight point and Utkir Yusupov slapped the ball over his objective line yet Odiljon Hamrobekov evened out in the 58th moment with a low strike.
Neither team scored a second goal during regulation time or in the 30 minutes of extra time, leading the game to penalties.
Ashurmatov and Almoez Ali had
their penalty shots saved, while Almahdi Ali missed his attempt. However,
Barsham's saves from Abdirakhmatov and Masharipov secured the victory for
Qatar.
Akram
Afif once again posed a significant threat to the defending champions during
the tense end of the game. In the 11th minute, he tested Yusupov with a
powerful shot, but it was the Qatar team captain who ultimately breached the
Uzbekistan defense to put the hosts ahead.
Al Haydos
received a clever backheel from Almoez Ali, found space, and drove along the
bye-line before his shot, which took a slight deflection off Ashurmatov, led to
Yusupov inadvertently pushing the ball into his net.
The Uzbeks answered with Otabek Shukurov's first-time strike from inside the area that was redirected over Barsham's crossbar while Mohammed Waad made an objective saving block when Azizbek Turgunboev looked bound to score.
Yusupov set things right for his previous mistake by keeping out Almahdi Ali's header and Turgunboev compromised again as the half attracted to a nearby, Barsham hindering his endeavor to score with a strike on the run at the goalkeeper's close to post.
Uzbekistan continued to press after the break, with Masharipov's free-kick being cleared by Barsham and Qatari defender Fathy narrowly avoiding scoring an own goal. In the 55th minute, Masharipov's long-range shot narrowly missed the target.
Just three minutes later, the equalizer arrived as Hamrobekov passed the ball to Oston Urunov, who regained possession on the edge of the area and scored with a left-footed shot into the far corner past Barsham.
MATCH STATS
| Qatar | 1 | - | 1 | Uzbekistan |
| Pens. 3-2 | ||||
AFC Asian Cup | ||||
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