U23 Asian Cup: Uzbekistan secure Paris 2024 berth with 2-0 win ...

Uzbekistan have secured their place in the men’s football tournament at Paris 2024 this summer.

It marks the first time this nation will compete in a team sport at the Olympic Games, drawn into Group D alongside Paraguay, Mali, and Israel.

With a 2-0 win over Indonesia, courtesy of goals from Khusayin Norchaev and Pratama Arhan (own-goal), they progress into the final of the AFC U23 Asian Cup 2024.

A relentless encounter full of end-to-end football would come to a head in the final 25 minutes, with three goals - one disallowed for Indonesia - and a sending-off for the Red and White, provided an entertaining semi-final clash.

The penultimate Paris 2024 berth will be decided later today, with Japan and Iraq locking horns at 19:30 CET.

Japan are mainstays in the Games, competing at every edition since 1996, while Iraq will be looking to return having last competed at Rio 2016.

With an Olympic spot on the line, these two sides had no qualms about throwing everything forward in a bid to find a way to win.

But both sides were ultimately dictated by Uzbekistan, who enjoyed more of the possession and chances on goal.

From the off, the Paris 2024 hopefuls peppered the opposing goal. 10 minutes in, Alisher Odilov forced a big save out of Ernando Ari. Moments later, Ulugbek Khoshimov fired from range but could only watch on as his effort bounced wide.

The Uzbekistanis continued their relentless pursuit of an opener and Abdurauf Bo'riyev came closest in the first 45 by rattling Ernando’s crossbar, putting it out of reach of the latter.

Indonesia spent plenty of the first half penned in their own half, but the second looked to be a different story when against the run of play they took the lead through Muhammad Ferarri.

That was until the intervention of VAR, who chalked their breakthrough goal off as a result of an offside in the build-up.

Going behind, albeit momentarily, proved a big wake-up call for the men in white, who took less than 10 minutes to execute one of their many chances.

Khusayin Norchaev and Mukhammadkodir Khamraliev - both subbed on following the interval - combined to get the go-ahead goal, the latter’s exquisite cross put on a plate for the former.

Things seemed to go from bad to worse for Indonesia, with captain Rizky Ridho shown a straight red card for an unfavourable challenge.

With a man advantage, Uzbekistan secured their place at Paris 2024, and in the final, in the approach to full-time thanks to Pratama Arhan’s unfortunate own goal to double his opponent's advantage.