Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- In the first match of the Asia and Oceania U18 Cup, the junior team of Uzbekistan beat their peers from Iran with a score of 19:0.

The match was preceded by a colorful pre-match show and the opening ceremony of the tournament. The Deputy Minister of Sports of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shakhrullo Makhmudov, the Secretary General of the National Olympic Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan Oybek Kasimov and the Vice-President of the International Hockey Federation Aivaz Omorkanov made welcoming speeches.

The match itself took place at good speeds. The skill of Uzbekistan young hockey players allowed our team to control the situation on the court and throw pucks for every taste. However, in the third period, emotions overwhelmed our guys, after which there was an outburst of rudeness. Everything would be fine, this happens in youth hockey, but the leader of Uzbekistan, Jasurbek Rustamkhonov, who by that time had scored 10 (3+7) points in this game, was sent off before the end of the game. We are waiting for the judges' verdict on whether Rustamkhonov will have to miss the next match.

14-year-old Salokhiddin Azimov made an excellent debut at this level. He accounted for several excellent scoring actions, including a goal in the minority in the 3 vs 6 format. The goalkeepers of the Uzbekistan national team did not have to work too hard, although in the end Alexander An, who replaced Rustam Irgashev, saved the team from a certain goal. The expert jury named Ruslan Sultanov the best player in this match.