Tursunzade (Tajikistan), Sep 2: A second-half winner from veteran striker Maksim Shatskikh earned Uzbekistan a 1-0 victory at Tajikistan on Friday in their opening match of third-round Asian qualifying for the 2014 World Cup.
The Arsenal Kyiv striker netted in the 72nd minute to give the visitors a share of top spot in Group C with Japan, which won 1-0 at home against North Korea.
Despite the home defeat, the narrow margin was a creditable performance by the Tajiks, who only found themselves in the third round after Syria was disqualified for fielding an ineligible player in the previous round.
Shatskikh's goal followed a penalty awarded after Tajik defender Davronjon Ergashev brought down Uzbek forward Alexander Geynrikh in the area.
Shatskikh took the spot-kick, only to see his shot toward the right-hand corner parried by goalkeeper Alisher Tuychiev. However, the striker quickly pounced on the loose ball and clinically slotted home.
Tajik defender Dilshod Vasiev came close to an equalizer with a free-kick in the 89th minute, but Uzbek goalkeeper Ignatiy Nesterov managed clear the ball off the line.
Japan's last-minute victory against a dogged North Korea earlier Friday leaves it joint top of its four-team group with Uzbekistan.
Syria had originally qualified for Group C by twice defeating Tajikistan in the knockout stage. It was later disqualified after FIFA ruled the team had fielded an ineligible player in both matches.
Uzbekistan and Tajikistan played to a packed 13,600-capacity stadium in the provincial western Tajik city of Tursunzade, which lies just across the border with Uzbekistan.
Crowds attempted to break through the security cordon of some 500 policemen around the stadium in an attempt to gain entrance. The game was not being shown on national television due to a high-profile international summit taking place in the capital.
A number of football matches in Tajikistan have been disrupted by crowd violence in recent months amid widespread allegations that match officials are favoring current champions Istiqlol Dushanbe, which is reportedly owned by the president's son. AP
