Uzbekistan’s debut at the Olympics was marked by a spirited display against the former champions. Eldor Shomurodov’s penalty leveled the score after Abel Ruiz’s opener, but a second-half goal by Sergio Gomez ultimately sealed the victory for Spain.

“I am satisfied with the team’s performance,” said Kapadze. “The boys showed fortitude and true team spirit. Our opponent was one of the strongest teams in the world, but we fought until the last minute.

“In the past weeks, we really felt the support of all Uzbeks. We are grateful to everyone who believed in the team.”

Despite feeling disappointed by the defeat, goalkeeper Abduvokhid Nematov – who had to be at his best and foiled Gomez’s second half penalty – drew inspiration from their maiden appearance at the Olympics.

“Today was a good day for Uzbek football. We played our first game in the Olympics but unfortunately, we lost,” said Nematov. “We have prepared well for this game against a tough opponent. I would like to thank the fans who supported us at the stadium in Paris today. They created a wonderful atmosphere.
“We had no luck today. We will continue towards our goal. We have two games ahead of us. We will analyse the match against Spain and plan for the next matches.”
Uzbekistan will be aiming to bounce back when they meet Egypt on Saturday.