Uzbekistan vs Syria prediction: can Cannavaro’s team build on the Iran win? – 01.10.2026
Uzbekistan and Syria will meet in an international friendly in Tashkent on Thursday, October 1, 2026. For Fabio Cannavaro’s team, the match is another important test ahead of the Asian Cup, while Syria are also using this international window to assess their squad before the continental tournament. Uzbekistan come into the game with a major confidence boost after beating Iran 3-1 on September 24.
Uzbekistan: Shomurodov leads the response after a difficult summer
Uzbekistan’s World Cup campaign ended with three consecutive defeats against Colombia, Portugal and DR Congo, but their first match after the tournament produced a much more encouraging performance. Cannavaro’s side defeated Iran 3-1 in Fergana, with captain Eldor Shomurodov scoring twice and Khusain Norchaev adding the third goal in stoppage time.
The victory was especially important because Cannavaro used a strong core featuring Abdukodir Khusanov, Abbosbek Fayzullaev, Odiljon Khamrobekov and Shomurodov. Uzbekistan registered six shots on target against Iran and were able to create danger both through structured attacks and quicker transitions.
Cannavaro nevertheless made it clear afterwards that there is still plenty to improve. He highlighted mistakes in defensive areas, demanded better coordination between the central midfielders and stressed that future squad places will depend on current readiness rather than previous achievements. That makes a friendly against Syria another useful opportunity to refine the team before the Asian Cup.
Syria: Lana has experience at his disposal
Syria are coached by José Lana, who remains officially listed by FIFA as the national team’s head coach. The current squad contains several experienced players, including Omar Al-Somah, Mahmoud Al-Mawas, Mohamed Osman and Aiham Ousou, alongside younger options such as Noah Shamoun and Can Moustfa.
Their most recent completed match before the current international window ended in a 4-1 defeat against Belarus in June. Across Syria’s five latest completed games listed by Dailysports, they recorded one win, two draws and two defeats, scoring seven goals.
Lana has enough experience in his attacking group to punish mistakes, particularly through Al-Somah and Al-Mawas. However, Uzbekistan should be able to dictate more of the game at home, especially if Fayzullaev can find space between Syria’s midfield and defensive lines.
Possible lineups
- Uzbekistan: Nazarov – Karimov, Khusanov, Urozov, Nasrullaev – Khamrobekov, Ganiyev – Khamdamov, Mozgovoy, Fayzullaev – Shomurodov.
- Syria: Al-Shakir – Faqa, Ousou, Al-Shami, Kourdoghli – Hanan, Osman, Al-Aswad, Al-Mawas – Moustfa, Al-Somah.
Match facts and head-to-head
- Uzbekistan beat Iran 3-1 in their latest completed match, with Shomurodov scoring twice.
- Uzbekistan have scored in four of their last five matches.
- Syria have one win, two draws and two defeats across their five latest completed games listed by Dailysports.
- The last five meetings between Uzbekistan and Syria produced two Syrian wins, one Uzbek victory and two draws.
- None of those five head-to-head matches produced more than two goals.
- Their most recent meeting ended 0-0 at the 2024 Asian Cup.
Home advantage and attacking quality can make the difference
The head-to-head record suggests caution. Syria have repeatedly made life difficult for Uzbekistan, and this fixture has traditionally produced very few goals. Lana also has enough experienced players to keep the game competitive if his team remain compact.
Still, the current circumstances favor Uzbekistan. Cannavaro has a deeper squad, the hosts have just produced an impressive response against Iran, and Shomurodov arrives in excellent form after his brace. With Fayzullaev providing creativity behind him and Khusanov strengthening the defensive line, Uzbekistan have the individual quality to eventually break Syria down.
A friendly always carries additional uncertainty because of substitutions and experimentation, but the hosts have enough advantages to justify backing them to finish the job in Tashkent.
Prediction: Uzbekistan to win (Odds: 1.88)
