Uzbekistan have qualified for their first World Cup after drawing with the United Arab Emirates on Thursday.They become the eighth team to secure their place at the expanded 48-team tournament in United States,

The match June 5 that saw Uzbekistan qualify for the World Cup was nothing to write home about – a 0-0 tie against the United Arab Emirates, played in Abu Dhabi. The point the Uzbek squad received from that lackluster result, however, was enough to clinch second place in its group in the Asian regionals, earning a trip to North America next year.

Uzbekistan qualified for its debut soccer World Cup on Thursday night, becoming the first ever Central Asian country to make it to the sport’s global showpiece.