Tajikistan advances to quarterfinals in Asian Cup debut

"No one knows how far we will rise," remarked Petar Šegrt (58), the manager of national soccer team, following their victory against the United Arab Emirates in the Asian Cup round of 16 through a penalty shootout on Monday. "We are now the dark horse of the tournament," the Tajikistan manager said. The UAE (64th in FIFA rankings), which Tajikistan overcame, is a team striving to reach the semifinals of the Asian Cup for the third consecutive time.

Manager Šegrt, who guided Tajikistan to the quarterfinals, is gaining significant attention at the Asian Cup. Coverage about Manager Šegrt is not limited to local media in Qatar, where the tournament is taking place; renowned international outlets such as British Reuters and American sports media ESPN are also featuring articles on him. Tajikistan, positioned at 106th in the FIFA rankings and making its debut in the Asian Cup finals, is considered the most notable surprise of the tournament. Having secured one win, one draw, and one loss in Group A, Tajikistan advanced to the round of 16, securing the second spot after the 'defending champion' Qatar (with three wins).

Šegrt, hailing from Croatia, assumed the head coach role for the Tajikistan national team in January 2022 and quickly became a national hero by guiding the team to the Asian Cup finals for the first time in history. A former defender, Šegrt played in Germany's lower leagues but retired at 27 due to a knee injury. Following his playing career, he ventured into scouting and youth team management, subsequently coaching Afghanistan and Maldives national teams. Under his guidance, Afghanistan achieved qualification for the Asian Cup final for the first time, and he secured the South Asian Football Championship trophy with the Maldives. His notable achievements earned him the moniker 'Underdog Trainer' due to his success with teams considered to have lower chances of winning.

Tajikistan is set to encounter Jordan, currently ranked 87th in the FIFA rankings, in the quarterfinals. After drawing 2-2 with Korea in Group E, Jordan secured a 3-2 victory against Iraq on Monday to progress to the quarterfinals. "My next dream is to go to the next round (semi-finals),” Manager Šegrt said, expressing his aspirations. “My goal is to prolong Tajikistan’s dream."


Bae-Jung Kim wanted@donga.com