Uzbekistan's youth national team lost to Japan in a penalty shootout in the semifinals of the U-17 Asian Cup, ending their participation in the tournament.

Semi-final match

The match between the national teams of Japan and Uzbekistan took place on a field in Saudi Arabia. The young "White Wolves" scored first — Asilbek Aliev opened the scoring in the 27th minute.

The match's denouement

However, at the end of the second half, the Japanese scored, sending the game into a penalty shootout. In the decisive match:
  • Japan converted 3 penalty kicks.
  • Uzbekistan scored 2 penalties.
  • Representatives of the Land of the Rising Sun have advanced to the tournament final.

Team Achievements

Despite the defeat in the semifinals, the youth team under the guidance of Sergei Chigodaev has already secured its place in the U-17 World Cup, which will take place in November 2026. The team had also previously qualified for the quarterfinals of the current Asian tournament.