Ukraine, playing their first game since the return of coach Oleg Blokhin, were faster and more aggressive throughout the match.
Having led Ukraine to the World Cup 2006 quarter-finals, Blokhin was brought back as coach in April following a succession of short-term managers who all struggled.
Ukraine dominated the first half but failed to score and the deadlock was broken by midfielder Anatoliy Tymoshchuk following a headed pass from Oleh Husyev in the 55th minute.
Five minutes later, Ukraine forward Andriy Voronin scored the second after a free-kick from Ruslan Rotan bounced off the crossbar.
Teams
Ukraine: 31-Dikan; 3-Fedetskiy; 5-Kucher; 13-Shevchuk; 6-Khacheridi; 4- Tymoshchuk (16-Kravchenko 86); 9-Husyev (16-Nazarenko 72); 22-Devic (11-Seleznyov 59), 21-Oliynyk (14-Rotan 46); 25-Milevskiy (20-Kozhanov 46); 7-Shevchenko (10-Voronin 46).
Uzbekistan: 12-Nesterov; 20-Tukhtakhodjaev (2-Filiposyan 77); 6-Juraev (10-Rajabov); 3-Mullajanov; 7-Haydarov; 9-Ahmedov; 28-Andreev (4-Karimov 80); 17-Tursunov; 11-Bikmaev (23-Otakuziyev 53); 14-Shadrin (22-Karpenko 60); 16-Shatskikh (13-Turaev 73).
Referee: Ozkahya Halis (Turkey).
