Tadjiyev, the 22-year-old Pakhtakor striker, virtually single-handedly dragged the Uzbeks back into qualifying contention with his three-goal contribution in the 4-0 rout of Qatar last weekend, but then picked up a hamstring strain late in the game. Djeparov, the reigning Asian player of the year, was replaced at half-time following the nasty challenge which saw Qatari midfielder Bilal Mohammed sent off, while midfield screener Odil Ahmedov also picked up a knock as coach Mirdjalol Kasimov - who had already emptied his bench - was forced to finish the game with 10 men.

Two players ruled out of the Qatar match - overlapping fullback Islom Inomov and midfielder Ildar Magdeev - have failed to convince Kasimov they could recover in time and have been left behind in Tashkent, while skipper Maksim Shatskikh, who played almost 60 minutes against the Qataris, has also been omitted. Shatskikh, Uzbekistan’s all-time leading scorer, has struggled for game time this season at his Ukrainian club, Dynamo Kiev, and it was decided he would struggle to back up for a second game in five days.

"Of course he’s [Shatskikh] a big loss," said team manager Alisher Nikimbaev. "Not only because of the player, but because of his experience, the expectation of the other team. Sometimes he is not scoring, but he is attracting attention from defenders, and he gives opportunities for his teammates. So he is a big loss, but we have to be ready for this situation."

Nikimbaev conceded Djeparov was facing a race against time to face Australia, with the Bunyodkor playmaker a virtual spectator in last night’s recovery session at North Sydney Oval.

"He [Djeparov] is a big player for us, but our preference always is teamwork," Nikimbaev said. "We’re not thinking about individuality on the field. Djeparov is just part of the team. I couldn’t say he is like Maradona was for Argentina some years ago. He is an important player, but if he couldn’t play against Australia, we will find some solution."

Kasimov has at least been boosted by the return of key defender Anzur Ismailov from suspension as he struggles to freshen his side up after the rigours of the 20-hour journey from Central Asia. The Uzbeks flew out of Tashkent on a charter flight three hours after the full-time whistle against Qatar and arrived in Sydney late on Sunday night - giving them little time to prepare.

"We never have had an experience like this one," Nikimbaev said. "The longest trip for us is usually to China, or Korea. Maybe seven hours. The long flight, the time difference, this is new to us."

The Uzbeks, though, have arrived in good spirits after their first victory of the final group stage, with Nikimbaev adding: "Frankly speaking, we would have been happy just to win 1-0. We already lost two matches at home, so we needed to beat Qatar. Of course when you win 4-0, it makes it easier to prepare for the next match. It was important for the confidence of the players."

The win has revived Uzbekistan’s World Cup campaign but, even though securing an automatic qualifying berth is still mathematically possible, Nikimbaev admitted finishing third ahead of Qatar and Bahrain and clinching a spot in the play-offs was the target.

"The reality is we need to concentrate on third place," Nikimbaev said.