There was no choking for Uzbekistan this time, or if there was, it was in an attempt to hold back tears of joy. Those eight minutes of added time on Thursday in Abu Dhabi were long but then it has been a long wait and a long road to qualify for a first World Cup.
Uzbekistan have snatched summers of rest from the jaws of World Cup appearances more than once in the past, so the goalkeeper Utkir Yusupov could be forgiven for taking his time and faking an injury or two. He was the star of a 0-0 draw against the United Arab Emirates that was dull – deliberately and deliciously so for those in Central Asia – but provided the necessary point. Yusupov went down once more at the end, this time in tears as reserve goalkeepers came on for a group hug.
