Shootout shatter U-19 team’s dream

Uzbekistan booked their place in the semi-finals of the AFC U-19 Championship 2012 when they defeated the U-19 Syrian national team 3-0 on penalties after their quarter-final on Sunday finished 2-2 after extra-time.

Syria twice took the lead in regulation time but where twice pegged back With Igor Sergeev’s 44th minute strike cancelling out Hamid Mido’s 39th minute opener only for Syria to regain the advantage on the stroke of half-time through an Mahmoud Al Mawas penalty.

Syria held their 2-1 lead until the 76th minute when Ihtiyor Tashpulatov scored the goal that ultimately forced extra-time.

 Neither side could add to the shoreline in the two periods of additional time forcing the penalty shootout, in which Syria missed all three attempts while the Uzbeks were successful on each occasion to advance to the final four and book their place at the 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup.

The first chance of Sunday’s quarter-final came the way of the Uzbeks when Abdul Aziz Yusupov headed Igor Sergeev’s cross from the left against the post before Uzbek keeper Asilbek Amanov kept out Adnan Al Taki’s shot from an Al Mawas free-kick as Syria hit back two minutes later.

Amanov was called into action again five minutes later to deny Al Mawas after the Syrian striker had latched onto a long ball while at the other end Yusupov’s saw his attempt go over the bar on the quarter-of-the-hour mark.

A minute later Amanov pushed away Nassouh Nakkdahli’s shot from the left before Yusupov squandered a 21st minute opportunity with only keeper Shaher Al Shakir, who kept out a Vladimir Kozak free-kick nine minutes from the interval.

The deadlock was finally broken in the 39th minute when Hamid Mido fired home the rebound after Amanov had saved Nakkdahli’s initial shot.

But in a dramatic end to the first-half Sergeev headed home from a corner minute from the interval only for Al Mawas to equal Sergeev’s tournament-leading sixth goal of the campaign when he converted from the penalty spot after Sardar Rakhmanov had brought Al Taki down inside the area.

Al Taki saved well from Timur Khakimov 11 minutes after the restart as Uzbekistan pushed for the equaliser which came with just under 15 minutes remaining when substitute Ihtiyor Tashpulatov rose highest in a crowded penalty area to head in Iskanderov’s free-kick from the right.

Uzbekistan finished regulation time the stronger of the two but it was the Syrians that came close to snatching a winner in the 84th minute but Amanov denied Nakkdahli’s shot from outside the area.

Both sides had their chances in extra-time with Amanov saving from substitute Samer Salem in the 95th minute before the move was mirrored at the other end of the pitch when Al Shakir denied Uzbek replacement Azizbek Murotov two minutes later.

Omar Kharbin tested his luck in the 103rd minute but his shot went wide of the post before the striker had an effort blocked a minute after a Salem header hit the bar as the Uzbeks survived some sustained Syria pressure in the last two minutes of extra-time.

And the Syrians were left to rue these late misses in the penalty shootout with Vladimir Kozak, Sardor Sabirkhodjaev and Timur Khakimov all on target for the Uzbeks while Ahmad Al Kaddour and Al Mawas were denied by Aminov and Khaled Al Mbayed struck the bar with his spot-kick.