Uzbekistan started the match with a marathon attack in front of the goal, and although Boriev's long range shot hit the crossbar, they were unable to change the score. After the break, they were nearly overtaken by their opponents, but fortunately Indonesia's goal was ruled offside and Uzbekistan were able to escape. Then, Norchayev broke the deadlock with a stunning shot, and then a free kick was converted by a defender to seal the 2-0 victory.
It's worth noting that Uzbekistan had five shots on goal throughout the match, while Indonesia's defeat was tragic but mixed with a few flukes.
After eliminating Indonesia, Uzbekistan managed to advance to the final, which means that they have locked up a direct qualification to the Paris Olympics in advance, for the first time in the history of Uzbek soccer.
Looking back at the 2020 U23 Asian Cup, Uzbekistan failed in both the semi-final and third place battles, finishing fourth and missing out on the Tokyo Olympics. Now, they have finally realized their Olympic dream.
The joy of the victory infected the entire Uzbekistan team, with players hugging excitedly on the pitch, spectators waving national flags and cheering, and head coach Kapadze dancing hand in hand with his assistant coaches to celebrate the historic moment.
As a member of the Central Asian region, Uzbekistan's population has reached 36.37 million (according to 2023 figures), and this populous country has finally seen a breakthrough in soccer, with the men's soccer team qualifying for the Olympics for the first time, in a night that will undoubtedly live on in the hearts of Uzbekistan's fans.
