Uzbekistan coach Vadim Abramov confirmed that the talented 23-year-old will return to the starting 11 in Thursday's decisive encounter against Oman after sitting out the 2-1 victory over Syria through suspension.

Muzaev, an AFC Cup winner with club side Nasaf, had been ever-present in Uzbekistan's Olympic qualifying campaign but his yellow card in the second round 2-0 win over Hong Kong and a subsequent booking in the round three defeat to the UAE, that saw the Uzbeks miss out on automatic qualification to the London Games, meant that Musaev sat out the first of the Central Asians' two playoff matches on Tuesday.

But now he is ready to renew acquaintances with Oman and ensure it is the Uzbeks that are Asia's representatives in the AFC/CAF playoff match against Senegal, with a place at the 2012 Olympics going to the winner of that April 23 clash in Coventry.

"I played Oman twice and they are a very good team. We won the first match but the second was 0-0 although we had many chances," Musaev, pictured in action against Iraq, told www.the-afc.com

"It's the same situation with Syria. They are a strong team and play the 'Arabian style' but we will focus on our game and not whether they have changed or not."

Uzbekistan battled back from a goal down to defeat Syria 2-1 on Tuesday while Oman will have had a day longer to recuperate from their 1-1 draw with the Syrians on Sunday but Muzaev is not too concerned that the extra recovery period gives them an extra advantage.

"This is a question that is best left for the physio or the coach," he stated.

"We are here to win both games and whether or not Oman's longer rest is an advantage is not a concern because as players we go out to win every match whatever the circumstances."