UZBEKISTAN can confirm their place at their first ever World Cup if they beat Iran at the Azadi Stadium in Tehran today.
The double-landlocked country currently sit second in their qualifying group, just three points behind leaders Iran.
They can qualify today if they win and closest challengers United Arab Emirates and Qatar do not win their games.
The two sides faced off at the Milliy Stadium in Tashkent back in October but there was nothing to separate the sides as it finished goalless.
Uzbekistan will look to put right their 2006 World Cup qualifying campaign nearly 20 years on where they believe they were ‘cheated’ out of a chance to qualify.
The White Wolves finished third in their qualifying group and set up a two-legged play-off against Bahrain.
The winner of this would then go to a inter confederation play-off which decided who went to the World Cup.
During the first leg in Tashkent, Uzbekistan were 1-0 up through captain Mirjalol Kasimov but the game took a controversial turn when they were awarded a penalty.
The resulting penalty was scored, however the referee disallowed the penalty due to encroachment.
Even though the penalty should have been retaken according to the laws of IFAB, the Japanese referee strangely awarded a free-kick to Bahrain.
Unfortunately, the Uzbeks could not find another goal as the game finished 1-0.
The Uzbekistan Football Federation (UFF) were furious and complained to FIFA and even asked for a 3-0 win in their favour due to the dubious decision.
However, FIFA rejected their request and did something rather bizarre instead.
They declared Uzbekistan’s first leg victory invalid and ordered them to replay the game as the referee made a ‘technical error’.
Unfortunately for the White Wolves, they then went out on away goals and missed out on a perfect chance to qualify for the World Cup.
Nearly 20 years on it still hurts the country in Central Asia, but this is their best chance since and hopefully they can confirm their place today.
