Syria proceeds to AFC U-16 Championship semifinals

BANGKOK, (ST) Syria’s U-16 football team defeated Uzbekistan’s team 5-2 in the quarterfinals of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) U-16 Championship currently being held in Thailand, qualifying for the semifinals.

According to SANA, With this one, the Syrian team qualified for the 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup which will be held in Chile. The Syrian team’s five goals came at the 16, 30, 46, 50, and 55 minutes marks, while Uzbekstian scored its first goal at the 60 and the second from a penalty kick at the 87 minutes mark.

Syria will face South Korea in the semifinals, and the winner of that match will face the winner of the match between Australia and winner of the upcoming match between Iran and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

According to AFC Website, Striker Abdullah Barakat scored a hat-trick as Syria secured a return to the semi-finals of the AFC U-16 Championship for the first time since 2006 after stunning defending champions Uzbekistan by recording a 5-2 victory at a damp Rajamangala Stadium on Sunday.

Barakat completed the tournament’s first hat-trick just after half-time of the tie for a Syria side competing in their fifth consecutive AFC U-16 Championship quarter-final, and after captain Mohammad Jaddoua added a fourth shortly after, the striker provided the assist for Anas Aji before the hour mark.

And despite Shokhrukh Mahmudxojiyev’s consolations for Uzbekistan who were chasing a third consecutive appearance in the final, Group D runners-up Syria will face Korea Republic in Wednesday’s semi-finals, with Mohamed Al Attar’s side also securing a return to the FIFA U-17 World Cup for the first time since 2007 when they reached the Round of 16.

Following a delay of just over half an hour caused by lighting and heavy rain, Syria adapted to the heavy conditions quickly and Barakat registered the first effort on target after just three minutes as the striker directed a glancing header straight at Uzbekistan goalkeeper Akrom Khodjaev.

With the damp conditions in the favour of the attacking team, Syria’s Naeim Naem then tried his luck from distance five minutes later and Khodjaev needed two attempts to gather the skidding strike with Barakat closing in after the Uzbekistan custodian had spilled the initial effort.

But Khodjaev was beaten after 16 minutes as Barakat charged towards goal from just outside of the Uzbekistan penalty area with the covering defender struggling to stay on his feet before the striker rifled past the Uzbekistan goalkeeper high at his near post with the rising strike glancing off the inside of the left upright on its way into the back of the net.

Khodjaev did come to Uzbekistan’s rescue eight minutes later as the goalkeeper was quickly off his line to beat away another Barakat effort close to the edge of his penalty area after the Syria striker had broken clear of the Uzbekistan backline.

But Khodjaev was beaten again 15 minutes before half-time as Barakat headed home Aji’s left wing cross from close range to double Syria’s lead.

Sukhrob Nurulloev looked for a quick response for an Uzbekistan side struggling to impose their passing game on the heavy pitch, but Syria goalkeeper William Ghannam was down quickly to produce a smart one-handed save.

But less than two minutes after the restart Syria added a third as Khodjaev allowed Barakat’s strike to squirm through his grasp as the striker claimed the first hat-trick of the tournament.

And Syria further extended their lead five minutes later as Jaddoua rifled past Khodjaev from the edge of the area.

Barakat then turned provider three minutes later as the striker crossed for Aji to head home Syria’s fifth.

Mahmudxojiyev, though, finally gave Uzbekistan something to cheer about as the substitute scrambled the ball home from close range two minutes after the hour mark.

And Uzbekistan were handed a chance to make further inroads into Syria’s lead three minutes later, but after Wasim Al Nadaf had upended Khudoberdi Kholikov just inside the edge of the area, Azizjon Ganiev saw his penalty saved by goalkeeper Ghannam.

Uzbekistan, though, did claim a second with three minutes remaining as Mahmudxojiyev was able to beat Ghannam from 12 yards after Al Nadaf had again given away a careless penalty.

But Uzbekistan’s disappointing night ended on a low note as Oybek Nurmatov was shown a straight red card in stoppage time.

M.A.