Fabio Cannavaro's Uzbekistan suffered a 3-1 defeat to Colombia at the Estadio Azteca on Monday, but the scoreline tells only part of the story. The Central Asian side - among the least-heralded teams at the 2026 World Cup - produced stretches of genuine quality against a star-studded South American outfit, and a late Portugal result means their tournament is far from over. They will now face Portugal on June 24th needing a result.
Few neutrals arriving in Mexico City knew much about this Uzbek squad, and that anonymity is understandable. The bulk of the roster plays domestically, with a handful based in Iran and Türkiye. Their worldwide profile is largely built on one name: Abdukodir Khusanov, the 22-year-old Manchester City centre-back who has become the face of a generational shift in Central Asian football. The contrast with a sport as niche as online biathlon betting is striking - Uzbekistan football, once an afterthought on the global stage, is now commanding attention at the sport's biggest event. Khusanov picked up a yellow card in the 34th minute after being caught out by Luiz Díaz, a reminder of both the quality he faced and the learning curve that remains ahead of him.
A Story of Coaching Turnovers and Unlikely Qualification
The road to North America was anything but straightforward. Uzbekistan began their qualifying campaign under Slovenian veteran Srecko Katanec, a tactically astute coach who brought structure and continental credibility to the project. When declining health forced Katanec to step down in 2025, local coach Timur Kapadze stepped in and delivered the prize - a first-ever World Cup qualification. What came next surprised many: the Uzbekistan Football Federation moved quickly to appoint Fabio Cannavaro, the 2006 World Cup-winning captain with Italy, banking on his profile and experience to prepare the team for the biggest stage. Cannavaro's managerial record in China, Croatia, and Italy had not produced significant success, and the appointment raised eyebrows. Against Colombia, his side showed both their promise and their limitations within the same ninety minutes.
How the Goals Fell at the Estadio Azteca
Colombia controlled the match's early rhythm. Díaz, operating for Bayern Munich this season, was a persistent menace down the left - his shot struck the post in the 32nd minute before he orchestrated the opener two minutes later. Dropping deeper than Uzbekistan's defensive line could track, he chipped a precise ball into the penalty area for Daniel Muñoz to hook home, the Crystal Palace full-back rewarding the sort of overlapping run that has defined his club season. The 1-0 lead felt earned and, frankly, comfortable.
Uzbekistan's response came just before the hour. A composed four-pass combination opened space down the left, and the resulting cross to the far post was met by captain Shomurodov, whose right-footed volley bounced awkwardly in front of goalkeeper Camilo Vargas. Vargas's handling was poor - the ball deflected off the post - and Fayzullaev, not a tall man at 1.67 metres, reacted quickest to head the loose ball into an empty net. It was Uzbekistan's first-ever World Cup finals goal, and the scenes among their supporters inside the Azteca were something to remember: Fayzullaev leapt onto the advertising boards as teammates sprinted from across the pitch to mob him.
Colombia, to their credit, did not panic. Five minutes later, Díaz cut inside from the left flank and curled a right-footed effort into the far corner - a quality finish that goalkeeper Yusupov could barely get a hand to. James Rodríguez, 34 years old and now plying his trade in the United States, remained a calming influence throughout, dictating tempo alongside Jefferson Lerma. Uzbekistan threatened again in the 90th minute when substitute Mozgovoy's curling effort from inside the box narrowly missed, but the match was put to bed deep in added time. Cucho Hernández, fresh off the bench, found Jaminton Campaz with a whipped cross from the right, and the header sealed a 3-1 win in the ninth minute of stoppage time. The final talking point belonged to Uzbekistan's Karimov, whose thunderous 24-metre effort crashed off the crossbar in the 11th minute of added time - a moment of defiance just before referee Anthony Taylor's final whistle ended 100-plus minutes of effort from the Asian representatives.
Where Uzbekistan Stand - and What Asia Produced on Opening Day
The defeat stings, but Uzbekistan are not yet out. Portugal's 1-1 draw with the Democratic Republic of Congo in their group opener means Cannavaro's team have a realistic chance of advancing if results fall their way. The June 24th match against Portugal will be the defining test of how far this squad has actually come.
Uzbekistan were the last Asian side to kick off at the 2026 World Cup, and the continent's overall opening round was a mixed bag. South Korea beat the Czech Republic 2-1 and Australia defeated Türkiye 2-0 to lead the way. Qatar, Japan, Iran, and Saudi Arabia all drew - 1-1, 2-2, 2-2, and 1-1 respectively - while Iraq lost 1-4 to Norway and Jordan fell 1-3 to Austria. Uzbekistan's 3-1 defeat, measured against those results, places them in the middle of the pack. Given that most of their players operate outside Europe's top leagues, and that their qualification was itself historic, that is no small thing.
