A week ago, Tajikistan had never scored an AFC Asian Cup goal, let alone won a match.
However, this Friday, they’ll contest to become Asian Cup semi-finalists in what is becoming quite an unbelievable tournament debut.
Their overnight escalation from noisy minnows to every football fan’s second favourite team, has been quite something. A young, positive, and fiercely patriotic team led by the enigmatic revelation of the tournament, Petar Segrt, Tajikistan have become the feel good story of this year’s Asian Cup.
“Nobody will sleep in Tajikistan tonight!”
Sunday evening’s penalty shootout victory over the United Arab Emirates only added to the rollercoaster of emotions Tajik fans have experienced all tournament long.
The team may have taken to life in their unfamiliar surroundings, like an enthusiastic child – adamant in their positive approach, undeterred by their setbacks and above all savouring every moment on the continent’s main stage – but admittedly, it’s been a tough ride.
Despite opening aggressively and full of energy in their first group stage match, they were ultimately frustrated by a deep-lying China side, while exhaustion and a lack of experience at this level ultimately held them back against the hosts Qatar.
Two significant knock-backs that could well have spelt the end of their brief time in Gulf region.
Then came Lebanon. Their last roll of the dice before they awoke from their debut dream.
But for two toenail VAR offside calls, it could’ve been smooth sailing, but Tajikistan don’t tend to do things the easy way. Coming from behind, a second half siege turned the game on its head.
Within minutes they’d not only score their first Asian Cup goal in their history, but add another, 12 minutes later from the head of Nuriddin Khamrokulov, that would take them through to the knockout phase for the first time.
A solid 1-0 win against UAE wouldn’t have been their style either, yielding to a stoppage time equaliser from the Emiratis, that heralded extra time and penalties. Through it all, their coach stood on the sidelines, with a wry smile on his face, with the same outlook he’d had from day one.
In that moment, you knew this was Tajikistan’s day. So was the case when 21-year-old Alisher Shukurov stroked home the winning penalty to send their travelling support into raptures.
If you hadn’t heard of Petar Segrt and this Tajikistan team a month ago, you sure have now.
“You can call me Einstein”
While the world has only started to awaken to the charms of the eccentric Petar Segrt, the coach had already captured the hearts of the awaiting media before their tournament bow with China two weeks ago.
A breath of fresh air to an industry all too often faced by stern, defensive manipulators aiming to manage expectations and safeguard their jobs, the Croatian was approachable, eternally optimistic and not one bit cynical.
His trademark press conference handshake with everyone in attendance has firmly established a cult status and likeability factor across the tournament, as much as his striking likeness to a famous German physicist, which Segrt all too gladly laps up when given the opportunity.
From his first interview on appointment two years, Tajik hearts and minds have similarly followed in hypnotic and optimistic unison. Sergt’s ability to beckon in and convert followers within a few moments is a talent few across the game possess.
Succeeding the Uzbek coach, Usmon Toshev, a complete parallel character to Segrt in his withdrawn and disciplined demeanour, the new incumbent promised to reinvigorate the team and ignite the supporters expectations once again, a mood that would rally the team to winning friendly tournaments in Thailand and Malaysia last year on a rather unique but joyous journey towards Qatar.
While Segrt quite rightly receives the plaudits for the final furlong towards this month’s success, the players and the coaches that developed them over the last few years deserve immense praise also.
The aforementioned Toshev brought structure and stability to a national team picture that had been let go astray by bad governance and levels of corruption for years.
Vitaly Levchenko, the former coach of Tajik powerhouses Istiklol, also requires a mention, for honing many of this young squad’s tactical brains; turning them into flexible, aggressive and modern thinking footballers capable of playing at the very highest level of Asian football.
It’s all too easy to trace back yesterday’s victory to Istiklol’s surprise 4-1 victory over continental giants Al-Hilal in Riyadh back in 2021’s AFC Champions League.
This Tajikistan side’s rise hasn’t come as a happy accident, in isolation without intended development, but similarly the key contributors and events that have shaped them have ensured this country’s golden generation can strive further than their developmental potential had ever promised.
“Everyone wants more. For all the people of Tajikistan, we strive only for victory.”
This only promises to be the beginning for Tajik football. There is a glass ceiling still in need of smashing.
Of this fledgling side, averaging just over 25 years of age, only a few have barely any experience of playing football outside of Asia.
The vast majority of the squad still play at home in the modest surroundings of the Tajik Higher League, or in neighbouring Central Asian competitions, with the only real European exposure to speak of coming in the form of a handful of players with brief experience in Russia and Bulgaria.
What a run like this could do, then, for the career aspirations of these players is anyone’s guess. Be it the energetic and impactful running of full back Manuchekhr Safarov, the creativity and movement of Alisher Dzhalilov or the commanding presence of penalty shootout hero Rustam Yatimov, there’s plenty of potential here, for any one of these overnight national heroes to take their game to the next level.
Talent of course, is only one side of the coin. For this tight-knit, almost family-like unit, emotion and togetherness has transcended the mere sum of their parts.
Their success plays out alongside an emotional off the pitch context, that leaves them without a key aspect of their rise to prominence.
The defining moment of Tajik football history was always meant to be played out with Manuchekhr Dzhalilov (Alisher’s elder cousin) leading the line for his country.
The top scorer in his country’s history, was instead struck down by the devastating diagnosis of pancreatic cancer last summer, curtailing his season, maybe his career, or as some feared, his life.
This tournament continues to play out in his presence though. Segrt is at pains to elevate his importance to the team and his country, in any interview he conducts. Success on the pitch means little, when a teammate, let alone a family member is fighting a life-threatening disease. It brings a hard-hitting perspective to their modest Asian Cup challenges.
As it was, as Tajikistan tired heading into extra-time last night, the gleeful reminder of football’s insignificance was magnified, as Dzhalilov himself sat in the stands beaming at the accomplishments of his brothers in arms. His watchful presence over his nation’s triumphant victory tied together the feeling that surrounds this team’s unwavering passage through the tournament.
As their weary legs guided them over the finishing line to a once incomprehensible Asian Cup quarter final, the Tajik fairy-tale keeps rolling on. Dare you count them out on going any further?
Photo: X/fft_official
Listen to The Asian Game Podcast as we discuss Tajikistan’s heroic penalty shootout victory
