AIMAG-2017. Uzbekistan earn a spot in the final match

Uzbekistan national futsal team booked a ticket for the final match at the 5th Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games 2017 in Ashgabat, while goalkeeper Akmal Khazratkulov was the hero for Uzbekistan after saving two penalties in the shootout against Japan in the semi-final match.

Japan’s Kasho Tamura opened the scoring eight minutes into the match, with his shot taking Umarov by surprise.

Uzbekistan however, found the equaliser on the stroke of halftime, with Konstantin Sviridov finding the net.

The three-time bronze medallists went ahead three minutes after the restart through Davronjon Abdurakhmonov’s effort.

Kazuya Shimizu leveled the tie with a strike in the 27th minute but his joy proved to be shortlived when he picked up his second yellow card a minute later as Japan were left with a man down.

The 2013 runners-up went ahead through Shinsuke Hara in the 34th but the tie was even again after Uzbekistan found the net a minute later through Davron Choriev to send the match into extra time.

The tie went into penalties as neither side could find a breakthrough after the two periods of extra time.

At 2-1 down in the shootout, Umarov stole the show when he saved Takashi Morimura and Atsuya Uemura’s spot kicks as Uzbekistan’s Davronjon Abdurakhmonov scored the winner for a 3-2 win.