India vs Uzbekistan highlights, AFC Asian Cup 2023 updates, IND 0-3 UZB: Knockout hopes dented for Blue Tigers after second successive loss

India loses its second AFC Asian Cup 2023 match on the trot as Uzbekistan cruises past with a 3-0 win. 

Iskanderov shoots from distance and comes very close to scoring as his effort rattles the bar and comes back into play. That would have been some goal. 

Pandita tries to capitalise on a mistake by the Uzbekistan defence as he makes a run at goal. But he is not pacy enough and is eventually stopped. He finally loses possession. 

Shukurov swings in a cross inside the India box from a freekick, Boltaboev gets his head to the ball and tries to guide it towards goal but cannot keep his effort on target. 

Five minutes added at the end of the second-half

India sub: IN- Udanta OUT- Naorem

India sub: IN- Tangri OUT- Suresh 

Uzbekistan sub: IN- Boltaboev, Iskanderov OUT- Xamrobekov, Fayzullaev

Brandon Fernandes had a good chance to put in a good ball inside the Uzbekistan box from a freekick. But his cross is too heavy and the ball misses everyone in the box and goes out of play. 

Ishan Pandita tries to get to the loose ball to make a charge at goal but does not have the legs to do so. 

Fayzullaev goes for a shot from distance, which takes a deflection and goes to Gurpreet, who collects the ball comfortably. 

One can judge by India’s body language that it has accepted its fate for his match. There is hardly any forward passing and Uzbekistan is hanging around comfortably in its own half. 

Uzbekistan sub: IN- Erkinov, Turgunboev OUT- Urunov, Masharipov

Rahul Bheke comes close to scoring as he gets a free header from an India corner. He timed his jump well and got enough power but Yusupov remains alert to tip the ball over the bar. 

India sub: IN- Brandon, Pandita OUT- Thapa, Chhetri

Poojary slips a pass for Rahul KP, who tries to slip Eshmurodov, using his raw pace. He goes for a cutback but the Uzbek times his challenge perfectly to make the block and send the ball out for a corner. 

Fayzullaev threatens again with a low cross into the centre of the box. There were a couple of Uzbekistan players waiting for a tap-in but Mishra does well to anticipate the danger and clear the ball. 

Poojary goes for a first-time cross from the right flank but the cross is lacking in quality as the India fullback sends the ball out of play. 

Mahesh gets the ball in a promising position near the Uzbek box and tries to make an inward run but he is quickly crowded out and the ball goes to Yusupov, who collects. 

Fayzullaev makes a darting run down the left flank and flashes the ball across the face of the goal but there was no one to attack the ball and trouble Gurpreet. 

Sandesh Jhingan has ample time and space to find a blue shirt from the edge of the Uzbekistan box but sends the ball straight to the opponent. Another example of India giving away the ball cheaply. 

Uzbekistan is completely controlling the pace of the game. It is not allowing the Indians space at all in its final third and is successfully thwarting most of the forward play that the Indians are attempting. 

India has had its openings to crawl back into the match but finishing has not been up to the mark. That has been the main difference between them and the Uzbeks, who have been simple, yet effective with their football. 

Mishra’s cross from the left is awkward for Yusupov as he palms the ball away. Rahul KP’s shot on the rebound rattles the crossbar and is still in play. The ball falls to Chhetri who gets a shot away at goal but cannot get the desired power to trouble Yusupov. 

Apuia is in pain and on the ground after clashing with his teammate Akash Mishra. However, it does not look serious and he should be okay to continue. 

Uzbekistan sub: IN- Abdurahmatov OUT- Nasrullaev

India sub: IN- Rahul KP OUT- Manvir 

Uzbekistan starts the second-half with a comfortable 3-0 lead against India. The Blue Tigers have a mountain to climb in the second if they want to salvage anything from this match. 

Goals from Fayzullaev, Sergeev and Nasrullaev keep Uzbekistan in a 3-0 lead against India at half-time in their AFC Asian Cup 2023 match. 

A cross comes in from the right flank for Uzbekistan and Nasrullaev gets in front of his marker Manvir to try and sidefoot the ball inside the net. His shot hits the post and comes back into play. The Indian defence does not react quick enough and Nasrullaev scores from the rebound with an easy finish. 

Five minutes added at the end of the first-half!

Chhetri gets a free header from the resulting corner but he cannot keep his effort on target. A good spell of pressure from India. 

Yusupov palms the ball away from an India freekick and the ball falls to Naorem. He goes for a shot and catches it brilliantly and forces Yusupov to make the save and concede a corner. 

Naorem Mahesh gets the ball at the edge of the Uzbekistan box and tries to use his quick feet to weave in the Uzbek defence. But he loses his footing and eventually ends up losing the ball. 

Sergeev gets the ball and makes his way into the box. He goes for a cutback but India defends well to get the ball away. The offside whistle finally comes as the assistant said that Sergeev was offside when the initial pass was played to him. 

India gives the ball away again at the halfway line. Sergeev gets the ball and seeing Gurpreet off his line, goes for a shot. The effort goes wide off goal, with Gupreet watching the ball sail above him, out of play. 

Uzbekistan allowing India to have possession in their final third. But as soon as there is any effort to make any forward passes, the Uzbekistan defence stands compact. 

Urunov makes a strong run down the right flank as he shows good strength to brush aside Anirudh Thapa. He finds Masharipov with a cross to the centre. Masharipov slips a reverse pass to Fayzullaev who had made a good run. Fayzullaev goes for the cutback but his cross is blocked. 

Chhetri crosses the ball inside the box from a freekick, which finds Mishra. Mishra heads the ball at goal but cannot keep his effort on target. Also, the header lacked power. 

Fayzullaev gets in behind the Indian defence once again as he links up with Masharipov. Fayzullaev drives in a low cross from the left but does not find a teammate, as Mishra clears the ball. 

Yusupov commits a mistake by sending the ball straight to Thapa in a bid to clear the ball. Thapa tries to capitalise by a flashing a cross across the face of the goal but there wasn’t any Indian player to attack the ball. 

Manvir does well on the right flank to play the ball to Poojary. Poojary sends the ball inside the box, which reaches Chhetri, inviting a roar from the Indian fans inside the stadium. But the Indian captain could not control the ball and it goes away from him. 

Unlike the match against Australia, the Indian defence has been split open quite early in the first-half. 

Yet another goal that comes from an error in defence. Rahul Bheke loses the ball cheaply near the halfway line and Fayzullaev capitalises on the error by snatching the ball and making a run at goal. Once inside the box, he looks to square the ball at the far-post but Mishra tries to intercept the ball. Mishra’s touch leads to the ball hitting the crossbar and coming back into play. With the whole Indian defence into disarray, Sergeev rushes in to lash the ball inside the net from close distance. 

Thapa finds Manvir with a clever pass and the latter looks to start an attack but his first touch lets him down and Eshmurodov is there to snatch possession. 

Nikhil Poojary brings down Fayzullaev with a heavy challenge and it is a foul for Uzbekistan. 

Uzbekistan captain Masharipov with an effort at goal from the freekick and the ball hits the crossbar. 

Gurpreet remains alert as he palms away a grounded effort from the edge of the box. 

Khusanov goes for a shot at goal from distance but the effort is nowhere near the target. There is an air of confidence in Uzbekistan’s football. 

Uzbekistan has a freekick as a ball is whipped at Gurpreet’s near-post but Sunil Chhetri is there to head the ball away. 

Nasrullaev swings an inswinging cross from the edge of the Indian penalty area. Fayzullaev gets in a good position between the Indian defence as Shukurov heads the ball to him. Once the ball came to him, he cushions the ball into the net with his head. 

A long ball straight from India’s kick-off and the ball goes out for a goalkick. It is important for both teams to establish a tempo in the first 15 minutes of the match. 

The AFC Asian Cup 2023 match between India and Uzbekistan is underway at the Ahmed bin Ali Stadium in Qatar. 

Credit: Reuters

IND: Gurpreet(GK), Rahul, Jhingan, Mishra, Thapa, Suresh, Manvir, Chhetri(C), Naorem, Apuia, Poojary

UZB: Yusupov(GK), Sayfiev, Shukurov, Xamrobekov, Masharipov(C), Urunov, Nasrullaev, Eshmurodov, Sergeev, Fayzullaev, Khusanov

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India will look to start afresh after its loss to Australia in the AFC Asian Cup opener when it takes on Uzbekistan at the same venue, the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium, here on Thursday.

Igor Stimac’s side pulled off an impressive defensive display in the first half against the Socceroos – before going down 0-2 – and will look to build on that in a more evenly-matched contest this time around. 

The Uzbeks, who have been one of the most prominent teams in central Asia in the last few years, are ranked 43 spots below Australia but way higher than the Blue Tigers. They had topped their Asian Cup qualification group and reached the final of the CAFA Nations Cup in June last year.

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AFC Asian Cup 2023: India aims to bounce back against gritty Uzbekistan after opening loss to Australia

India and Uzbekistan have met six times before, with the last four contests ending in favour of the latter, while the last draw came over 25 years ago.

When and where will the India vs Uzbekistan AFC Asian Cup 2023 match kick-off?

The India vs Uzbekistan AFC Asian Cup 2023 match will kick-off at 8 PM IST, Thursday, January 18 at the Ahmed bin Ali Stadium in Qatar. 

Where can you watch the India vs Uzbekistan AFC Asian Cup 2023 match?

The India vs Uzbekistan AFC Asian Cup 2023 match will be live telecasted on the Sports18 network.

The match will also be live streamed on the Jio Cinema app and website.