In this international friendly between Tajikistan and Afghanistan, the hosts emerged victorious with a decisive 3-1 win. Despite being statistically outperformed in some areas, crucial early goals set the tone for Tajikistan, with the first only 10 minutes into the match. This set Afghanistan chasing the game early on, and another goal by the hosts at the 26th minute further increased the pressure on the visitors. Although Afghanistan managed to retaliate with a goal in the 37th minute, their inability to capitalize on set pieces and maintain discipline undercut their efforts.

Afghanistan dominated the corner count, earning nine compared to Tajikistan’s three. However, they failed to convert these opportunities into goals, reflecting a lack of effective finishing and possibly a disconnect between plays. Perhaps more critical was Afghanistan’s struggle with maintaining discipline, resulting in four yellow cards that hindered their play continuity. The accumulation of fouls disrupted their rhythm, especially with two cards given in the short span of the first half, which may have contributed to their inability to engineer a comeback.

Tajikistan, on the other hand, executed a tactically sound game, marked by efficient goal-scoring despite fewer attacking opportunities. Their defensive maneuvering was particularly astute, maintaining offsides at zero, indicating a cohesive defensive line. Although they received a red card in the second half, by that time, they had re-established a two-goal lead, minimizing its impact. The synergy in their team's efforts is evident in how they minimized offside and their effective teamwork in executing and defending against set-pieces despite the power play disadvantage they faced with the late-game red card.

Overall, the match highlighted Tajikistan's clinical attacking and defensive coherence as the primary determinants of their victory. Afghanistan’s superior set-piece opportunities were overshadowed by their disciplinary lapses and resultant disjointed play, underscoring a need for improved composure and utilization of their opportunities against cohesive teams like Tajikistan.

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