Uzbekistan, who are making their World Cup debut, begin their Group K campaign on Thursday against Colombia at the Mexico City Stadium.
Uzbekistan heads into the tournament with mixed results despite an impressive qualification journey. Under Fabio Cannavaro, they opened the year positively with a 3–1 win over Gabon and later secured a penalty shootout victory after a goalless draw against Venezuela in March.
However, their preparation form dipped in June. The White Wolves were beaten 2–0 by Canada and then narrowly lost 2–1 to the Netherlands in New York, raising some concerns ahead of their opening match.
Uzbekistan team news
Fabio Cannavaro faces a few fitness issues within his squad. Playmaker Jaloliddin Masharipov is ruled out after missing recent friendlies due to a persistent back problem. Ruslanbek Jiyanov replaced him in the squad.
Defender Khojiakbar Alijonov is being assessed for a calf injury, while midfielder Aziz Ganiev is also under observation after picking up a minor knock.
More significantly, defender Husniddin Aliqulov will miss the entire tournament after undergoing knee surgery earlier this year.
Even with these setbacks, Uzbekistan is expected to stay organised and defensively solid. Manchester City defender Abdukodir Khusanov will play a key role at the heart of a back five.
Up front, experienced striker Eldor Shomurodov will be the main attacking threat, with the team likely to rely on counter-attacks to trouble Colombia.
Uzbekistan predicted lineup
Possible Uzbekistan starting XI: Yusupov; Khusanov, Abdullaev, Ashurmatov; Sayfiev, Shukurov, Mozgovoy, Nazrullaev; Fayzullaev, Urunov; Shomurodov
When will the match kick off?
The match will kick off at 3am BST on Thursday, 18th June.
How to watch Uzbekistan vs Colombia?
Fans in the UK can watch Uzbekistan vs Colombia live for free on BBC One.
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