Doha, Qatar: India’s AFC Asian Cup dreams suffered a heavy blow as Uzbekistan thrashed 3-0 in a dominant display at the Ahmed Bin Ali Stadium on Thursday. The Group B clash exposed the gulf in class between the teams, with Uzbekistan securing their second win and four points while India remained rooted to the bottom after two successive defeats.

Abbosbek Faizullayev fired the early salvo in the fourth minute, setting the tone for a merciless Uzbek onslaught. Igor Sergeev doubled the lead in the 18th minute, and just before halftime, Sherzod Nasrullev put the result beyond doubt with a clinical finish. India battled valiantly but lacked the cutting edge to threaten Uzbekistan’s resolute defence.

The defeat compounds India’s woes after their opening 2-0 loss to Australia. Meanwhile, Uzbekistan, who drew their first match against Syria, are firmly in the driving seat for a last-16 berth. In the other Group B clash, Australia cemented their place in the knockout stages with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Syria.

Group C also witnessed a stalemate as Palestine and the United Arab Emirates played a 1-1 draw. The Asian Cup drama continues to unfold, with all to play for in the remaining group matches as teams jostle for a place in the next round.