Teams outside the world's top 100 continue to cause shock

Against an opponent ranked only 106th in the world , UAE rushed to attack right after the opening whistle but encountered fierce resistance from Tajikistan's crowded defense. However, Tajikistan continued to surprise at the 2023 Asian Cup with an impressive performance.

A good physical foundation helps Tajikistan not to be at a disadvantage in the competition with the opponent. Coach Petar Segrt's team does not let the opponent approach the goal, they even continuously cause trouble for UAE with fast counter-attacks on the right wing.

The shock came in the 30th minute, when Zoir Dzhuraboyev crossed the ball just in time for Vahdat Khanonov to jump high and head it in, beating the entire UAE defense, putting Tajikistan ahead. On the other hand, UAE only had one chance in the 38th minute. However, Al Zaabi's close-range shot was too weak.

Tajikistan continues to surprise at the 2023 Asian Cup.

In the second half, UAE was forced to push up their formation. However, they still had to face Tajikistan's tight formation. The white team easily broke down the opponent's attacks, then organized a series of sharp counter-attacks. Striker number 10, Alisher Dzhalilov, was given at least 3 chances to face the goalkeeper. However, he missed all of them.

As time passed, the UAE players became more and more confused. Meanwhile, Tajikistan maintained their formation, organizing reasonable man-to-man movements to neutralize UAE's attacks. Coach Paolo Bento and his team needed an equalizer but did not have a single shot on target in the entire second half. When they defeated goalkeeper Yatimov, the UAE player's shot hit the post.

The drama escalated in injury time, when Al Hammadi headed the ball home to level the score at 1-1 for the UAE. The two teams went into extra time but still could not decide the winner. In the penalty shootout, Caio Canedo was the only player to miss, causing the UAE to lose 3-5 to Tajikistan.

The match at Ahmad bin Ali Stadium ended with tears and overwhelming emotions from Tajikistan players and fans. The Central Asian representative continued to make history by reaching the quarter-finals in their first appearance at the Asian Cup.

Minh Tu

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