Dhaka, March 31: Syria topped the group E of AFC U-23 Qualifiers beating Uzbekistan 2-1 at the Bangabandhu National Stadium on Tuesday.
The win saw Syria win the group with nine points while Uzbekistan finished second with six points. 

Syria came close to take the lead in the 18th minute but was denied by the woodwork. Winger Yousef Kalfa’s cross was superbly headed by Omar Khirbin but the ball rebounded off the Uzbek crosspiece.

However Syria took the lead in the 29th minute when Mahmoud al Mawas’s cross was headed by Mahoud al Baher, Uzbek goalie Akmal  Tursunbaev made an acrobatic save but the ball fell to unmarked Omar Kharbin who placed the ball into the net (1-0).

Omar Kharbin doubled the lead in the 45+2 minute off a penalty. Uzbek defender Sardor Rakhmanov fouled Mahmoud al Baher at the top of the six yard box and Kharbin stepped up to score his sixth goal in three matches (2-0)

Uzbekistan came back strong after the interval and reduced the margin in the 59th minute when Abbosbek Makhstaliev pounced an angular shot into the Uzbek far post, Jamshid Iskanderov provided the through for Makhstaliev (2-1)

Uzbekistan failed to rise on the occasion in the remaining minutes and Syria won a direct ticket to the AFC U-23 Championship 2016.