Uzbekistan finish top in the AFC Futsal Championship Turkmenistan 2020 Qualifiers Group A

With their place in the Finals secured 24 hours prior, Uzbekistan produced a superb performance to comprehensively beat fellow qualifiers Tajikistan 9-3.

Davron Choriev scored a hat-trick, while Akbar Usmonov netted a brace as Bakhodir Akhmedov’s side completed their week in Urmiya with a perfect record of three wins from as many matches.

Tajikistan came into the match already qualified for next year’s Finals and ahead of Uzbekistan on the Group A standings; a position that they looked likely to retain when Bahodur Khajaev scored in the opening minute, then added a second Tajikistan goal three minutes later.

But Uzbekistan are a side with FIFA Futsal World Cup experience, and they bounced back in style through Usmonov’s first goal, before Khusniddin Nishonov levelled the tie in the 15th minute, with Usmonov’s second putting them ahead two minutes later.

Tajikistan’s collapse continued, with Dilshod Rakhmatov and Choriev both adding further goals to make it 5-2 at half-time, and the Uzbeks took their scoring blitz even further with four goals in as many minutes in the early stages of the second period.

Khushnur Erkinov scored in the 25th minute to bring up the half-dozen, with Choriev adding two goals in two minutes to complete his hat-trick before Dilmurod Shavkatov rounded Uzbekistan’s surge with their ninth goal.

Tajikistan netted a 31st-minute goal through Rahmonali Sharipov, but it was little consolation for Dejan Dedovic’s side, who will aim for improvement ahead of next year’s Finals in Turkmenistan.