Uzbekistan beat Pakistan 5-0 to ensure a top-two place in Group D, which has only three teams. It was Pakistan’s second defeat of the competition after their 4-0 loss to Iran in the first match.

Both Iran and the Uzbeks have three points from one match and their clash on Saturday will determine which team finishes top of the group.

On Thursday at the Takhti Stadium, Pakistan played most of the match with 10 players after Manzoor Ahmad was sent off in the 38th minute.

By that time, the Uzbeks were already 2-0 up through goals from Farrukh Nurlibaev and Pavel Smolyachenko.

After the break, Uzbekistan scored three more via Bekzod Mirkhaydarov, Mirgiyoz Suleymanov and Isroiljon Ergashev.

The top two teams from each of the eight groups plus the best third placed team from East and West Asia qualify for next year’s finals.