Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- Uzbekistan defeated Tajikistan 3-1 on penalties to finish third in the AFC Futsal Asian Cup™ Thailand 2024 on Sunday.

A thrilling playoff at the Bangkok Arena saw the match ending 5-5, with Uzbekistan proving more clinical in the penalty shootout. 
 
Tajikistan, however, can walk tall after not only achieving their best ever finish but also qualifying for the FIFA Futsal World Cup Uzbekistan 2024.

Head coach Venancio Lopez applauded Uzbekistan’s resilience but expects his team to improve their finishing moving forward.
 
“The flow of the game changed dramatically. We were leading 2-0, and scoring a third goal could have ended the game. However, they fought back hard, and we ended up going into penalties. Fortunately, we emerged victorious in the shootout,” said Lopez.

Tajikistan head coach Pairov Vakhidov was left to rue his team’s missed chances
 
“First half, our players made a lot of mistakes so we adjusted our tactics for the second period and it worked for us. However, they scored from one mistake at the end. Penalties are a lottery and today, Uzbekistan won," said Vakhidov.

Uzbekistan were the quicker to settle and took the lead in the second minute through Ilkhomjon Khamroev, who exchanged passes with Khusniddin Nishonov off a corner, before finishing at the near post with a simple tap-in.
 
Tajikistan’s first chance fell a minute later when Bahodur Khojaev found space at the centre before seeing his effort from distance denied by the bar.

Uzbekistan doubled Tajikistan’s agony in the fifth minute when Fayzali Sardorov intercepted Alimakhmadov Nekruz’s pass in his own half, beat his marker and slotted past keeper Firuz Bekmurodov.
 
Tajikistan pulled one back in the ninth minute through an unmarked Samandar Rizomov, who received the ball from Komron Aliev at the top of the arc before striking a low shot past Uzbekistan keeper Abbos Elmurodov. 

Tajikistan had two chances at the start of the second half but Sardorov and Rizomov both squandered the opportunities but the equaliser finally arrived in the 22nd minute when Elmurodov spilled Bekmurodov’s long throw, allowing a gleeful Aliev to slot home from close range.
 
Uzbekistan retook the lead in the 25th minute after Sunatulla Juraev weaved his way through the Tajikistan defence on the left flank before supplying a through ball to Mekhroj Khudoyberdiev to score from inside the box.

Ikhtiyor Ropiev made it 4-2 a minute later when he struck home a penalty, only for Tajikistan to reduce the deficit just before the half-hour mark through Rizomov, who exchanged passes with Aliev before scoring from inside the area.
 
The momentum shifted in Tajikistan’s favour as they drew level in the 33rd minute with Rizomov completing his hat-trick, finishing off Idris Yorov’s cross from the right flank.
 
Tajikistan took the lead a minute later with Bakhtiyor Soliev setting up Umed Kuziev for a close range finish but Akbar Usmonov equalised with Uzbekistan proving sharper in the resultant penalty shootout.