According to the Uzbekistan Football Association, the Uzbekistan women's national football team has achieved a historic milestone by qualifying for the quarterfinals of the AFC Women's Asian Cup for the first time ever. This success came after the team secured a decisive 4:0 victory over Bangladesh in their final group stage match, with goals scored by Diyorakhon Habibullayeva, Nilufar Kudratova, and Dildora Nozimova (2 goals).

During the group stage, Uzbekistan played three matches in Group B: they lost 0:3 to North Korea in the first round and were defeated 0:3 by the reigning champion China in the second round. However, the win in the final match allowed the team to finish third in the group with 3 points, placing them second in the ranking of the best third-placed teams and securing their spot in the quarterfinals.

Under the tournament regulations, the quarterfinals feature teams that finished first and second in their groups, along with the top-performing third-placed teams. The Uzbekistan national team accumulated the same number of points as the Philippines (3 points), but due to a superior goal difference, they recorded a better result and earned the right to advance to the next stage. Their upcoming opponent will be determined on March 14 or 15 based on results from other groups, potentially facing the winner of Group A (South Korea) or the winner of Group C.

It is worth noting that the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) awards six direct berths to the Women's World Cup through this tournament. Therefore, even if Uzbekistan loses in the quarterfinals, the team retains an opportunity to qualify for the tournament in Brazil, which would require winning a playoff match after the quarterfinals or competing in an intercontinental playoff. This achievement marks a significant step forward for women's football in Uzbekistan.

Source: www.gazeta.uz