DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Uzbekistan qualified for men’s Olympic soccer after years of near-misses by reaching the Under-23 Asian Cup final on Monday. The Uzbeks beat Indonesia 2-0 in the semifinals and will face Japan in the final on Friday. Japan secured an eighth consecutive Olympic appearance by defeating Iraq 2-1. The top three teams qualify automatically for the Paris Games and Iraq and Indonesia will meet in Thursday’s playoff to decide the remaining place. Uzbekistan has had an unlucky run. It won the biennial Asian tournament in the non-Olympic years of 2018 and 2022. In 2020, the team finished fourth, missing out on the Tokyo Games after losing the playoff against Australia. There was no heartbreak this time. Khusain Norchaev scored midway through the second half and Pratama Arhan conceded an own goal four minutes from the end at Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium. |
Prince Andrew enjoys horseMasterful meals: Masterchef 2010 champion Dhruv Baker's cherry and hazelnut chocolate roulade Florida lawmakers pass bill to ban social media for children under 16JULIE BURCHILL: Why I spread rumours about KateSigns of sharp wit! These funny notices left customers in fits of laughterBack to Black film: Does Marisa Abela sing her own songs in the Amy Winehouse biopic?What visitors on £100 Balmoral tours will see: Tourists can wander Drawing RoomSerial mistress, 54, enjoys luxurious £5,000 trip to Costa RicaThis Might Not Be It review: Behind the Perspex partitionDune: Part Two review