Uzbekistan's objective - Russia 2018

FIFA's decision to expand the world cup from 2026 onwards has led to thoughts of which nations across the world stand to benefit from last week's decision. One such nation would be Uzbekistan. The Oq bo'rilar (white wolves) have established themselves in the second tier of Asian teams. If we accept Japan, South Korea and maybe Australia as the first tier, the central Asians have to be considered for the tier below. Steady progress since independence in 1990 has yielded some good and not so good results. An 8-1 drubbing by Japan being their heaviest defeat thus far.

Uzbekistan have qualified for seven Asian cups since joining the AFC (Asian Football Confederation). That tally includes the upcoming edition in 2019. Such a record has seen them as by far the strongest nation in central Asia. In fact only Turkmenistan of the other central Asian nations have qualified for the Asian cup. However for the Uzbeks, the missing achievement, apart from not winning the continental title, is a world cup qualification.

It's no secret that since the break-up of the Soviet union, only Russia and Ukraine have qualified for the world cup. A fact that Uzbekistan is trying desperately to change. They may well have done so in the qualification for 2006, had FIFA not effectively robbed them. In the Asian play-off to decide who would advance to the inter-continental play-offs, Uzbekistan and Bahrain faced off. Controversy struck when an Uzbek penalty was disallowed for encroachment, but rather than ordering a retake the referee gave Bahrain a free-kick. Uzbekistan were 1-0 up at the time and in the aftermath, FIFA ordered the game to be replayed. (So Ireland did have a case?). The replayed game ended 1-1 and the second leg 0-0 with Bahrain advancing on away goals. That painful defeat coming a year after Bahrain eliminated them at the quarter-final stage of the 2004 Asian cup.

The team didn't threaten to qualify in 2010 but a year later did finish fourth at the Asian cup, their best finish to date. They were back in the play-off for qualification to the inter-continental play-off for 2014 but agonisingly were beaten 9-8 on penalties by Jordan.

And so to this current campaign. A comfortable second round group win saw them advance to the greater challenge of the third round group stage. A tricky assignment was handed to the Uzbeks. South Korea, Iran, China, Syria and Qatar.

Coach Samvel Babayan still has a couple of previous campaign veterans to call upon such as midfield dynamo and captain Server Djeparov, keeper Ignatiy Nesterov and go to man up front Alexander Geynrikh. All of whom were around for that 2005 game against Bahrain.

The group began perfectly with back-to-back 1-0 wins, at home to Syria and away to Qatar. Alexander Geynrikh scoring both goals to move within three goals of Uzbek all-time top scorer Maksim Shatskikh. A frustrating home defeat to Iran followed before a 2-0 home win over China a few days later dragged them back into contention. Despite Marat Bikmaev giving them a lead in South Korea, the home side battled back for a 2-1 win to leave the Uzbeks in third place a point off automatic world cup qualification. Exactly halfway through the group they still have tricky assignments to come, with an away game with first placed Iran. A final group clash at home to South Korea has the making of a do-or-die game about it. However those two games are later in the year. First up in March is a double header with Syria (away) and Qatar (home). Games that could derail any word cup hopes.

So with all the talk of the world cup expansion, the Uzbeks have in 2006 qualification and the current campaign showed they are threatening to qualify in the current format. Expansion does make the task of future qualification that bit easier but the motivation of the 2018 edition being held in nearby Russia and being the second last thirty-two format tournament the hope is to break through this year. They will qualify eventually but making a tournament debut practically next door is a great way to start.