Uzbekistan will face Syria at Jassim bin Hamad Stadium in Al Rayyan on Saturday to wrap up the first round of the Group B of the 2023 AFC Asian Cup.
Uzbekistan, ranked 68th in the latest FIFA rankings, have progressed out of their group at the last five editions of the Asian Cup and are the favourites to do the same once again under the tutelage of Srecko Katanec, who led his former side Iraq to the round of 16 before they were beaten by eventual champions Qatar in the 2019 edition of the tournament.
Ninety first-ranked Syria, meanwhile, will do well to get out of a tough group and into the knockout stages for the first time, but Hector Cuper's side has largely struggled to put out a competent side that can go toe-to-toe with Asia's powerhouses, as evident by their 5-0 loss at the hands of Japan in a World Cup qualifier in Jeddah back in November.
Here, GOAL brings you everything you need to know about how to watch, including TV channel, streaming details and more.
Uzbekistan vs Syria kick-off time
| Date: | Saturday, January 13, 2024 |
| Kick-off time: | 5:30pm GMT |
| Venue: | Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium |
The AFC Asian Cup game between Uzbekistan and Syria will be played at Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium, Al Rayyan, Qatar, on Saturday, January 13, 2024. The kickoff time for the match is set at 5:30pm GMT for fans in the UK.
How to watch Uzbekistan vs Syria online - TV channels & live streams
 | TrillerTV | Watch here |
The game is available to watch and stream live through TrillerTV, while fans who are unable to watch the game can follow the live updates on GOAL. Coverage from the tournament is also expected to be shown on theAFC Asian Cup YouTube channel.
Team news & squads
Uzbekistan team news
Their chances of going deep in Qatar suffered a huge blow when captain and Cagliari attacker Eldor Shomurodov was ruled out of the tournament with a leg injury he picked up late last year.
Jaloliddin Masharipov, who plays for Panserraikos in Greece, and 19-year-old RC Lens star Abdukodir Khusanov aretwo players to keep an eye on for The White Wolves.
Abbosbek Fayzullaev is another promising player in the Uzbekistan line-up. The 20-year-old plays for CSKA Moscow in Russia at the club level, and won the 2023 Uzbekistan Player of the Year award for his performances in the calendar year.
Uzbekistan possible XI: Yusupov; Sayfiev, Alijonov, Ashurmatov, Nasrullaev; Shukurov, Hamrobekov, Masharipov, Fayzullaev; Urunov, Sergeyev
| Position | Players |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers: | Nematov, Yusupov, Ergashev |
| Defenders: | Ashurmatov, Eshmurodov, Alikulov, Khamraliev, Abdullaev, Khusanov, Nasrullaev, Sayfiev, Alijonov, Abdirahmatov |
| Midfielders: | Masharipov, Urunov, Turgunboev, Khamrobekov, Kholmatov, Boltaboev, Iskanderov, Erkinov, Shukurov, Faizullaev |
| Forwards: | Sergeev, Abdiholikov, Amonov |
Syria team news
Former Inter Milan and Valencia head coach Hector needs no introduction, but his time in charge of Syria has been questionable, while he surprised many by excluding veteran duo Omar Al Soma and Mahmoud Al Mawas from his 26-man squad.
Towering centre-forward Omar Khribin will spearhead the line for Syria. The 29-year-old plies his trade for Al-Wahda in the UAE Pro League, and has scored 12 goals in 15 competitive appearances in the 2023-24 season so far.
Syria possible XI: Alma; Ajan, Midani, Jenyat, Krouma; Youssef, Anez, Al Marmour, Abraham, Hesar; Khribin
| Position | Players |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers: | Alma, Madanieh, Mousa, Sarraf |
| Defenders: | Ousou, Alajaan, Almidani, Jeniat, Krouma, Kourdoghli, Alkhoul, Oues |
| Midfielders: | Ham, Hmeisheh, Alhallak, Ramadan, Osman, Abraham, Youssef, Elias, Hesar |
| Forwards: | Khribin, Yasin Dali, Sabbag, Yakoub, Alaswad |
Head-to-Head Record
| Date | Match Score | Competition |
|---|---|---|
| 12/11/20 | Uzbekistan 0 - 0 Syria | Int. Friendly Games |
| 11/06/19 | Uzbekistan 2 - 2 Syria | Int. Friendly Games |
| 06/09/18 | Uzbekistan 1 - 1 Syria | Int. Friendly Games |
| 23/03/17 | Syria 1 - 1 Uzbekistan | World Championship Qual. AFC |
| 01/09/16 | Uzbekistan 1 - 0 Syria | World Championship Qual. AFC |