Bangkok: Lebanon and Uzbekistan qualified for the AFC U-20 Futsal Championship quarter-finals on Friday as a 4-4 draw saw both sides assure themselves of a top-two finish in Group C. ​
Georgio El Khoury opened the scoring for Lebanon 12 minutes into the game, but Michel Saber’s own goal levelled matters shortly after. Steve Koukezian duly restored Lebanon’s lead only to see Uzbekistan’s Akbar Usmonov find an equaliser just moments later. In what was proving to be a fascinatiing back and forth encounter at the Bangkok Arena, Hussein Albaba then gave Shabab Sofalmanesh’s side the lead going into the break with a neat finish on 18 minutes.
Khusniddin Nishonov fired home Uzbekistan’s third five minutes after the restart, before Ravshan Ismatullaev finally gave the Central Asians the lead shortly after the half-hour mark.
However, Koukezian’s second goal of the game some two minutes from time ensured a share of the spoils for both sides as well as a place in the last eight.
Group C winners will face Group D runners-up, Team finishing second play Iran
Lebanon’s next game: May 20, Myanmar v Lebanon
Uzbekistan’s next game: May 20, Uzbekistan v Qatar
Lebanon: EL KHOURY 12’, KOUKEZIAN 17’, ALBABA 18’, KOUKEZIAN 38’
Uzbekstan: SABER 15’ (OG), USMONOV 17’, NISHONOV 25’, ISMATULLAEV 31’
Photos: AFC
Source: the-afc.com