WCQ 2026: Uzbekistan vs Iran [Preview]

Sportsmole.co.uk – TASHKENT, Both fighting to keep their 100% third-round records intact, Group A pacesetters Uzbekistan and Iran will meet at Tashkent’s Milliy Stadion for an AFC World Cup qualifier on Thursday night.

The White Wolves came out on top of a five-goal thriller during their most recent fixture, whilst Team Melli secured a narrow success over the United Arab Emirates.

Failing to qualify for the World Cup on seven occasions since becoming a FIFA member as an independent nation, Uzbekistan are well on course to ensuring that it is eighth time lucky, with Thursday’s hosts enjoying a productive September international break, beating both North Korea and most recently Kyrgyzstan.

The White Wolves found themselves 2-1 down at Stadion Im on September 10 and staring a maiden loss of the third round in the face, but goals either side of the half-time whistle from Khusniddin Alikulov and Oston Urunov secured a comeback victory for the visitors to Bishkek.

Collecting six points from their opening two matches in the section, Uzbekistan are currently leading the way in the Group A standings, already three points ahead of the United Arab Emirates in third and five better off compared to Asian Cup holders Qatar, who are languishing down in fifth.

Netting the White Wolves’ opening goal of the contest against Kyrgyzstan last month, striker Eldor Shomurodov is Uzbekistan’s most recognisable face to followers of the European scene, with the 29-year-old featuring on four occasions in Serie A for Roma so far this season.

The White Wolves have not lost a match in normal time since a friendly clash with the USA in September 2023, when efforts from Timothy Weah, Ricardo Pepi and Christian Pulisic secured a comfortable three-goal success for Gregg Berhalter’s Stars and Stripes in St Louis, Missouri.

Iran are on track to make their fourth straight appearance at the World Cup finals following a flawless September international break, during which they managed a pair of 1-0 victories over Kyrgyzstan and United Arab Emirates, meaning that Thursday’s visitors are level on points with Uzbekistan in Group A after two matches.

Keeping back-to-back clean sheets last month with relative ease, former Royal Antwerp and Boavista goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand is a member of Team Melli who has experience of playing at Qatar 2022, with the 32-year-old now part of a group of elder statesmen within the squad.

Following Iran’s disappointing group-stage exit at the last World Cup two years ago, Amir Ghalenoei replaced Carlos Queiroz in the Iranian dugout, with the 60-year-old winning a staggering 20 of his 24 official matches in charge so far, losing on just the single occasion.

With the AFC now receiving eight automatic places for the World Cup – double the amount on offer for the confederation at the 2022 edition of the tournament – Team Melli are red-hot favourites to secure a spot in North America, where they will be hoping to progress past the group stage for the first time.

Iran and Uzbekistan were Group E counterparts in the second round of qualification earlier in the international cycle, with both matches between Team Melli and the White Wolves ending in a share of the points.

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Helping to inspire a second-half comeback at Kyrgyzstan last time out, the likes of Abdulla Abdullaev and Azizbek Turgunbaev will be pushing for spots in Uzbekistan’s starting XI.

Despite conceding two in Bishkek, the White Wolves should stick with a centre-back trio of Rustamjon Ashurmatov, Umar Eshmuradov and goalscorer Alikulov.

A threatening focal point for the Iranian attack, Inter Milan star Mehdi Taremi will start as the lone striker for the visitors on Thursday night.

There is set to be a pair of ex-Premier League players in the Team Melli XI, with Saman Ghoddos and Alireza Jahanbakhsh likely to feature.

Keeping a clean sheet at the United Arab Emirates on September 10, Iran should continue with a central-defensive duo of Shoja Khalilzadeh and Hossein Kanaani.

Uzbekistan possible starting lineup:
Yusupov; Alidzhanov, Alikulov, Ashurmatov, Eshmuradov, Nasrulloev; Khamrobekov, Shukurov, Masharipov; Urunov, Shomurodov

Iran possible starting lineup:
Beiranvand; Hardani, Kanaani, Khalilzadeh, Mohammadi; Noorafkan, Ezatolahi; Jahanbakhsh, Ghoddos, Ghayedi; Taremi

Prediction: Uzbekistan 1-2 Iran

Drawing each of their last two competitive meetings, we are expecting a hard-fought affair between the Group A pacesetters in Tashkent on Thursday night.

Iran’s record since the arrival of head coach Ghalenoei in March 2023 has been exceptional, and we envisage Team Melli earning a narrow victory in Uzbekistan to leapfrog the hosts in the section standings.