Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- Uzbekistan struck late in the match to defeat Saudi Arabia 2-0 in their AFC U17 Asian Cup™ Thailand 2023 quarter-final on Monday.

The win not only took Uzbekistan to a semi-final showdown against Korea Republic but also booked their ticket to the FIFA U-17 World Cup Indonesia 2023.

Both teams struggled to gain control in the initial minutes with Uzbekistan’s Behruz Shukurullaev’s short range attempt in the 10th minute the first either side came to scoring. 

Saudi Arabia then survived a scare when Uzbekistan skipper Lazizbek Mirzayev curled the ball from a 12th minute free-kick to the top centre of the box, but the attempt was just about tipped away by the fingertips of Saudi Arabian goalkeeper Mahmoud Essa Alburayh.

Soon after, skipper Nawaf Fareed Aljaddin presented Saudi Arabia an opportunity to take the lead after he earned a penalty off an Ozodbek Uktamov foul. However, Muhammad Sobirov played saviour for the young White Wolves, saving striker Nawaf Nasser Albishri’s right-footed spot-kick.

In the minutes that followed, Jamoliddin Rakhmatullaev’s charges came close to breaking the stalemate several times, most notably in the 44th minute when midfielder Ollabergan Karimov’s powerful free-kick was punched away from danger by Alburayh.

Right before the break, the young Green Falcons were denied finding the back of the net twice when first, Albashri’s left footer inside the box was blocked away by Shobirov.

This was followed by Ramez Zaid Alattar’s clever run past a number of white shirts before finding Talal Haji but the 15-year-old’s efforts were also halted by Sobirov’s stubborn figure.

Proceedings in the second half began with repeated charges from Saudi Arabia with Albishri seeing his attempt from inside the 18-yard box blocked by Sobirov, while midfielder Haji received Aljadani’s well-measured cross only to send it wide.

However, Saudi Arabia’s clean sheet finally took a hit in the 79th minute when Alburayh, in a bid to block Uzbekistan’s Karimov (pictured above, right) attempt, inadvertently steered the ball into his own net. 

With five minutes left on the clock, the men in white extended their lead when defender Dilshod Abdullayev was the quickest to react to Amirbek Saidov’s corner, which had been headed on by a Saudi Arabia defender, as he stuck his right foot out to poke the ball into the net and take Uzbekistan into the semi-finals.