Uzbekistan U23 Edge Lebanon 3–2 in Asian Cup Opener

Uzbekistan’s U23 national team kicked off their AFC U23 Asian Cup campaign in Saudi Arabia with a thrilling 3-2 victory over Lebanon.

Goals for Uzbekistan came from Amirbek Saidov, Ravshan Khayrullaev, and Sardor Bahromov, while Lebanon’s Leonardo Shahin scored twice, The Caspian Post reports.

In the other Group match, South Korea and Iran played to a 0-0 draw. Uzbekistan, coached by Ravshan Haydarov, will face Iran next on January 10.

The tournament features 16 national teams divided into four groups, with the top two from each group advancing to the playoff stage. Unlike previous editions, this U23 Asian Cup does not offer Olympic qualification, leading several teams to compete without their strongest squads.

Since its inception in 2013, Japan has won the tournament twice, while Iraq, Uzbekistan, South Korea, and Saudi Arabia have each claimed one title.