Match action between Uzbekistan and Russia. Photo: UFA
The Uzbekistan national football team suffered its first-ever defeat against Russia in a dramatic 2-3 friendly in Tashkent on November 12. Fabio Cannavaro’s side squandered a 2-0 advantage, conceding three goals in just nine second-half minutes.
The fixture sparked intense debate across the Uzbek internet. Some supporters opposed facing the Russians, who remain under FIFA sanctions. Others were unsettled by reports that the Russian squad might wear Soviet-retro kits. However, the retro uniforms are expected instead in Russia’s upcoming friendly against Venezuela, a match commemorating the centenary of Soviet football legend Nikita Simonyan and sanctioned by FIFA.
In addition, Usmon Toshev, head of national teams at the Uzbekistan Football Association (UFA), noted that head coach Fabio Cannavaro personally advocated for the friendly against Russia, calling the matter settled.
Uzbekistan broke the deadlock just five minutes into the match, when Russian defender Viktor Melekhin turned a corner kick into his own net.
The hosts doubled their lead immediately after the interval. In the 46th minute, FC Lugano defender Bekhruz Karimov latched onto a pass from Dostonbek Khamdamov to beat Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Matvey Safonov, netting his maiden international goal.
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The turning point arrived midway through the second half. Substitute Nikolay Komlichenko pulled one back in the 70th minute before completing a quickfire brace five minutes later by capitalizing on an error by Uzbek goalkeeper Vladimir Nazarov. In the 79th minute, Aleksei Miranchuk struck the winner.
The sides previously met on November 20, 2022, also in Tashkent, in a match that ended in a goalless draw. The result secures Russia's first victory over Uzbekistan in their second head-to-head meeting.
ℹ️ FIFA and UEFA suspended Russian national teams from official international competitions in February 2022 following Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Due to these sanctions, Russia missed the 2022 and 2026 World Cups, as well as Euro 2024. However, the ban does not apply to international friendlies, which the Russian squad continues to arrange with foreign opponents.
