Australlia qualified for their fourth consecutive Asian Cup quarter final after overcoming Uzbekistan 4-2 on penalties following on from a goalless draw in 120 minutes
Socceroos goalkeeper Mat Ryan was the hero in the shootout, making two saves after Aziz Behich missed the green and gold’s second penalty. Uzbekistan started the better of the two teams and should have taken the lead in the 10th minute through Eldor Shomurodov.
2⃣ important saves during the 120 minutes!
2⃣ penalty saves to seal QFs qualification!@MatyRyan is @Socceroos‘s #AsianCup2019 hero today! 🇦🇺 pic.twitter.com/V22v27cAut— #AsianCup2019 (@afcasiancup) January 21, 2019
After leaving Trent Sainsbury stranded after the simplest of dribbles, Shomurodov could not lift his shot over Mat Ryan, with the ball striking the Socceroos goalkeeper in the shoulder.
Australia were dealt another blow mid-way through the half with Tom Rogic receiving a questionable yellow card – a booking that will see him miss the quarter-final. It was a half of few chances as the Socceroos barely troubled Uzbek shot stopper Ignatiy Nesterov, while the Central Asians were restricted to long-range efforts.
However the green and gold came out with renewed intensity in the second period and pinned the Uzbeks back in their half from the outset.
Unfortunately for the Uzbeks they were eliminated by the Socceroos again, like they were at the semi-final stage in 2011, but they could hold the heads high at running a tournament favourite to the wire.
Nothing like post penalty shoot-out celebrations! 🏃♂️💨#AsianCup2019 @Socceroos 🇦🇺 pic.twitter.com/q36Hdubx4H
— #AsianCup2019 (@afcasiancup) January 21, 2019
