After the game ended 1-1 in Doha following 120 tense minutes, Tajikistan won a dramatic shootout 5-3 with Alisher Shukurov holding his nerve with the final spot-kick. The Central Asians, ranked 106th in the world and at their first Asian Cup, will now face either Jordan or the 2007 champions Iraq in the last eight.

Goalkeeper Rustam Yatimov made the decisive save from Caio Canedo with the UAE's second penalty of the shootout, and his outfield team-mates did the rest. Tajikistan's charismatic Croatian coach Petar Segrt called his team "the black horses of the tournament" and said "nobody knows how far we can go".

"I have no limits for the players because every game they surprise me again," he said. "My next dream is to go to the next round again. I think in Tajikistan tonight, nobody will sleep."

Tajikistan had looked set for a famous victory in normal time when Vakhdat Khanonov scored with a 30th-minute header, only for Khalifa Al-Hammadi to equalise in the 95th minute and send the game into extra-time. "I dedicate this goal to my brother who passed away," the defender Khanonov said.

"He is not with us and can't see my happiness." The UAE reached the semi-finals at the last two Asian Cups but Paulo Bento's side bow out to a side ranked more than 40 places lower than them. Tajikistan drew with China and beat Lebanon in the first round to advance as Group A runners-up. They will learn who they play in the quarter-finals when Iraq take on Jordan in the last 16 on Monday.

Palestine will make their debut in the knockout rounds when they face hosts and holders Qatar in Monday's second game of the day.

January 28, 2024

Khalifa Al Hammadi

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