Uzbekistan qualified for the World Cup finals for the first time at the eighth attempt after a 0-0 draw with the United Arab Emirates in Abu Dhabi on Thursday.

This is the Uzbekistan’s first World Cup qualification since it gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991

Uzbekistan are heading to next year's World Cup for the first time in the country's history, a feat that caps years of progress in a part of the world not known for its footballing prowess.