SYRIA BEAT UZBEKISTAN IN WORLD CUP QUALIFYING

WORLD CUP QUALIFYING: SYRIA 1 - UZBEKISTAN 0

Syria claimed a vital 1-0 win over Uzbekistan after a successful penalty converted by Omar Kharbin in the dying minutes of the game. The win kept the war-torn country's hopes of advancing toward the 2018 World Cup finals in Russia alive. Kharbin's spot-kick, taken in the first minute of the second half's injury time, beat veteran Uzbek goalkeeper Aleksandr Lobanov and raised a cheer among 23 million Syrians still in the war-ravaged nation. Thursday's crucial match was played at the Hang Jebat Stadium in Melaka, Malaysia, a faraway country that has welcomed the squad and given them a "home." 

The win is Syria's second in the group stage, the previous victory was against China, a magnificent effort away at Beijing in a country that has spent hundreds of millions of dollars on a much-hoped-for footballing future. This places Syria fourth in the standings, and with six games played, it has rekindled hopes that the battle-weary country can qualify for a regional playoff. If the team overcomes that hurdle, it could then face teams from North or Central America or the Caribbean for a berth in the finals.


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