Uzbekistan’s Europe-based stars to miss November friendlies

The White Wolves will play against Syria and Iraq, with both matches to be held in Dubai.

All but four of the squad are provided by clubs in Uzbekistan’s Super League, with European-based names like Eldor Shomurodov, Oston Urunov and Jasur Yakhshiboev to remain with their clubs.

Two of the foreign-based players selected – Jamshid Iskanderov and Rustam Ashurmatov – play their trade in Korea Republic, while UAE-based Otabek Shukurov and Aziz Ganiev won’t have to travel at all to link up with their national teammates.

Of the players drawn from Super League clubs, nine come from runaway league leaders Pakhtakor, with Nasaf and Bunyodkor supplying five and four respectively.

The bulk of the squad will convene in Tashkent on Friday for a three-day training camp, with Shukurov and Ganiev to join the group when they arrive in Dubai on November 9.

The meeting with Syria will take place on November 12, with the clash against Iraq pencilled in for November 17.

Uzbekistan’s trip to Dubai will be their second in the space of a month. They defeated the United Arab Emirates 2-1 in a friendly match at Rashid Stadium on October 12.

Abramov’s men are set to resume their Asian Qualifiers campaign for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and AFC Asian Cup China 2023 in early 2021. They hold a one-point lead at the top of Group D, with second placed Saudi Arabia holding a game in hand.