Uzbekistan falls to Qatar in heartbreaking last-minute loss in 2026 World Cup qualifier

The match began unfavorably for head coach Srečko Katanec’s squad. In the 21st minute, star forward Eldor Shomurodov was forced to exit the pitch due to an injury, making way for Jaloliddin Masharipov, who was not fully fit prior to the game. Qatar capitalized on this setback, with Almoez Ali netting two goals in quick succession, both set up by Akram Afif in the 26th and 41st minutes. This allowed Qatar to take a commanding 2-0 lead into halftime.

Katanec made strategic changes in the second half that eventually paid off. Uzbekistan’s offensive efforts were rewarded in the 75th minute when 21-year-old midfielder Abbosbek Fayzullaev scored with a header to reduce the deficit. Just five minutes later, Fayzullaev struck again, converting a precise pass from Masharipov to level the score at 2-2, igniting hopes for an away draw.

In a bid to protect the draw, Katanec substituted midfielder Azizbek Turgunboev with defender Rustam Ashurmatov. However, this defensive switch failed to hold off Qatar’s relentless pressure. In the 12th minute of stoppage time, Qatar’s Paulo Mendes found the net, securing a dramatic 3-2 victory for the home team.

Despite the painful loss in Doha, Uzbekistan remains in second place in the group standings with 10 points, trailing leaders Iran, who have 13 points. Qatar’s victory moved them to 4th place with 7 points. The Uzbekistan team will face North Korea in their next match on November 19 in Laos.

Elsewhere in the group, the UAE triumphed over Kyrgyzstan with an emphatic 3-0 win, moving to 3rd place with 7 points.