Tajikistan’s remarkable achievement in reaching the knockout stage of the Asian Cup during their tournament debut was described by coach Petar Segrt as a “sensational success.” Following their nail-biting stoppage-time victory over Lebanon in the final group game, Tajikistan secured their place in the last 16, marking the occasion with exuberant celebrations among the players from the central Asian nation.
Coach Segrt, acknowledging the magnitude of the accomplishment, conveyed that “9.5 million people scored their first goal” in the tournament. Looking ahead to the crucial clash against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the last 16, Segrt expressed the team’s eagerness to make history. Describing the upcoming match as “a game for everything or nothing,” he emphasized the squad’s readiness to confront UAE, a team that reached the semi-finals in 2019.
“We train for our dream, we will try to go for the next round. This is a game for everything or nothing. Maybe we will celebrate like we won the Asian Cup (if we go through) because the group stage was a sensational success for Tajikistan,” Segrt conveyed to reporters, highlighting the significance of the moment.
Addressing the challenge posed by UAE, who also finished second in their group with four points from three games, Segrt anticipated a stern test. He acknowledged the strength of the UAE team, describing the forthcoming match as a “50-50 game.”
“We played a 0-0 draw with UAE in March but this is not a friendly game and they changed the coach but we changed some players, which is why we’re successful. But we need fresh blood, we have injured players,” Segrt explained, emphasizing the importance of adaptability and readiness within his squad.
UAE’s coach, Paulo Bento, echoed the sentiment of a closely contested encounter, rejecting any notion of his team being clear favorites. Recognizing Tajikistan’s inspiring journey in their debut competition, Bento praised their positive and dynamic style of play.
“Tajikistan reached the knockout stage with big motivation in their first participation in the competition. They play positive football, they try and build from the back with good dynamic in offense. They have good technical players, fast players. We should have all the respect for this team, for where they’ve reached (as debutants),” Bento expressed, setting the stage for a highly anticipated and competitive showdown between the two teams.