Oman host Jordan for AFC Asian and WC Qualifiers
MUSCAT, JUNE 4
Red Warriors will eye for a triumph as they will host Jordan in a decisive clash on Thursday night at Sultan Qaboos Sport Complex for AFC Asian Qualifiers — Road to 26 in Group B. The match will begin at 8:00 pm.
With the race for direct qualification to the Fifa World Cup 2026 heating up, the match has been dubbed a must-win by both sides. Oman will aim to utilise the fans support and home ground advantage in this essential crunch which act as match booster for reviving the hopes of earning a direct qualification berth into next year's Fifa World Cup.
Essam al Subhi and his teammates managed to earn four crucial points from their March fixtures including a 1-1 draw in Seoul and 1-0 win over Kuwait which point Oman in fourth position with ten points and by three points behind Jordan who occupy the second automatic spot in the group.
Red Warriors, who are chasing up for their historic first appearance on the global stage, will enter this fixture with a mixed squad of experienced and young faces as coach Rasheed will depend on different key players including: Ali al Busaidy, Ahmed al Khamisi, Harib al Saadi, Fayez al Rushaidi, Esam al Subhi, Al Mundher al Alawi, Jameel al Yhamadi and other players in the squad.
Oman played two successful friendly matches behind closed doors including a 4-1 win against Niger and a 1-0 victory over Lebanon, with the team showing clear progress in attacking fluidity and defensive structure. In contrast, Jordan's recent friendly ended in a 2-0 defeat to Saudi Arabia last Friday with goals from Hassan al Tambakti and Muhanad al Saad.
On the other side, the opponent team will be looking forward for the victory as the triumph will remain them firmly in the driver's seat going into their final matchday clash with Iraq. Jordan are currently one point ahead of Iraq, who will play table-toppers South Korea on Thursday and victory will set them up nicely for Tuesday's showdown with Iraq in Amman. Jordan coach will depend on the key players especially return of Ali Olwan beside attendance of Yazen Emad, Moosa Tamari and the rest of Jordanian players.
Essential Game
Oman head coach Rasheed Jaber voiced confidently in the match that the team are in best shape for the game. ' It is very important match and we can call this is as world cup game. Each team has its own goals and I need from my players to deliver their top efforts and full focus during the match. Jordan team considered as very dangerous in attacking side but we are ready for the game. Everyone in the team are very ambitious and fully confident to perfrom top game,' he said
' The crowd will be our energy. Their support can make the difference in these 90 critical minutes,' he ended
Goalkeeper Fayez al Rushaidi, one of the team's most experienced players, echoed this sentiment: 'This is a decisive match. We learned a lot from previous games and now is the time to show our strength. We are ready and we need the fans with us throughout the match.'
On the opposing side, Jordan, coached by Jamal Selami, are equally aware of the magnitude of the tie. Selami confident on his squad and he highlighted on the return of Ali Olwan and the presence of stars like Yazan Emad and Moosa Tamari. 'It is a tough game against a strong Oman side playing at home. But our preparations went according to plan. The Saudi match helped simulate Oman's environment. Apart from Ihsan Haddad, who's out with injury, we have a complete squad ready to compete.' said Selami
Jordan's striker Ali Olwan, who recently returned from injury, shared his thoughts:' This is an essential match. I am glad to be back and grateful to the medical and coaching staff for helping me recover. I wish Ihsan a quick recovery and we are ready to give everything.'
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Times of Oman
6 hours ago
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Oman hopes for direct World Cup spot dashed as Jordan win 3-0 in Muscat
MUSCAT- A dominating Jordan outplayed hosts Oman 3-0 in their penultimate AFC Asian Qualifiers - Road to 26 Group B tie at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex on Thursday. The defeat ended Rasheed Jaber-coached Red Warriors' hopes of a direct spot from the group as the top two would seal the berth. With just one game remaining, Oman, now at 10 points, can manage only three more points, which would not be enough to even keep the third spot as they are now fourth. South Korea lead the standings and have qualified with 17 points while Jordan after the win are second at 16. Iraq are third with 13 and the match between Jordan and Iraq in Amman on 10 June will decide the second team from the group to seal the spot. Oman take on Palestine in their final game of the round on 10 June with Palestine at fifth spot with seven points. Kuwait are at bottom with six points. Jordan will remain in pole position against Iraq as they only have to avoid defeat to advance. Jordan's win against Oman was marked by Ali Olwan's hat-trick. At the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex, both sides tested each other in the first 10 minutes, and Oman captain and keeper Faiz Al Rusheidi had his first shot of adrenaline when Mousa Al Ta'mari put the ball past him in the 11th minute only for the Ligue 1 midfielder to be ruled offside. The hosts' slow and steady build-up was hampered by poor finishing, with Abdul Al Mushaifri and Harib Al Saadi both fluffing their shots in the 15th and 19th minutes respectively. Issam Al Sabhi then had a golden opportunity to put Oman ahead, but his close range shot in the 24th minute was resolutely palmed away by keeper Yazeed Abulaila. A brilliant through ball from Al Saadi from his own half in the 31st minute found Al Sabhi, who controlled the pass with his first touch but then stumbled under pressure in the box. Jordan, who only had two shots at goal in regulation, were awarded a penalty five minutes into time added on after a VAR review found Mohannad Taha had been brought down, with Olwan duly converting to give his side the advantage going into the break. It got even better for Jordan six minutes into the second half as a quick break saw Olwan getting his second when he side-footed home Yazan Al Naimat's pass from the left beyond the reach of a diving Al Rusheidi. Olwan completed his hat-trick in the 64th minute when he gleefully put the ball into an empty net after Al Rusheidi was caught off-position on the right by Al Ta'mari's pass. Oman made five substitutions but it proved a little too late and the West Asians will have to give it their all in their final match against Palestine on Tuesday.
Observer
2 days ago
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Oman host Jordan for AFC Asian and WC Qualifiers
MUSCAT, JUNE 4 Red Warriors will eye for a triumph as they will host Jordan in a decisive clash on Thursday night at Sultan Qaboos Sport Complex for AFC Asian Qualifiers — Road to 26 in Group B. The match will begin at 8:00 pm. With the race for direct qualification to the Fifa World Cup 2026 heating up, the match has been dubbed a must-win by both sides. Oman will aim to utilise the fans support and home ground advantage in this essential crunch which act as match booster for reviving the hopes of earning a direct qualification berth into next year's Fifa World Cup. Essam al Subhi and his teammates managed to earn four crucial points from their March fixtures including a 1-1 draw in Seoul and 1-0 win over Kuwait which point Oman in fourth position with ten points and by three points behind Jordan who occupy the second automatic spot in the group. Red Warriors, who are chasing up for their historic first appearance on the global stage, will enter this fixture with a mixed squad of experienced and young faces as coach Rasheed will depend on different key players including: Ali al Busaidy, Ahmed al Khamisi, Harib al Saadi, Fayez al Rushaidi, Esam al Subhi, Al Mundher al Alawi, Jameel al Yhamadi and other players in the squad. Oman played two successful friendly matches behind closed doors including a 4-1 win against Niger and a 1-0 victory over Lebanon, with the team showing clear progress in attacking fluidity and defensive structure. In contrast, Jordan's recent friendly ended in a 2-0 defeat to Saudi Arabia last Friday with goals from Hassan al Tambakti and Muhanad al Saad. On the other side, the opponent team will be looking forward for the victory as the triumph will remain them firmly in the driver's seat going into their final matchday clash with Iraq. Jordan are currently one point ahead of Iraq, who will play table-toppers South Korea on Thursday and victory will set them up nicely for Tuesday's showdown with Iraq in Amman. Jordan coach will depend on the key players especially return of Ali Olwan beside attendance of Yazen Emad, Moosa Tamari and the rest of Jordanian players. Essential Game Oman head coach Rasheed Jaber voiced confidently in the match that the team are in best shape for the game. ' It is very important match and we can call this is as world cup game. Each team has its own goals and I need from my players to deliver their top efforts and full focus during the match. Jordan team considered as very dangerous in attacking side but we are ready for the game. Everyone in the team are very ambitious and fully confident to perfrom top game,' he said ' The crowd will be our energy. Their support can make the difference in these 90 critical minutes,' he ended Goalkeeper Fayez al Rushaidi, one of the team's most experienced players, echoed this sentiment: 'This is a decisive match. We learned a lot from previous games and now is the time to show our strength. We are ready and we need the fans with us throughout the match.' On the opposing side, Jordan, coached by Jamal Selami, are equally aware of the magnitude of the tie. Selami confident on his squad and he highlighted on the return of Ali Olwan and the presence of stars like Yazan Emad and Moosa Tamari. 'It is a tough game against a strong Oman side playing at home. But our preparations went according to plan. The Saudi match helped simulate Oman's environment. Apart from Ihsan Haddad, who's out with injury, we have a complete squad ready to compete.' said Selami Jordan's striker Ali Olwan, who recently returned from injury, shared his thoughts:' This is an essential match. I am glad to be back and grateful to the medical and coaching staff for helping me recover. I wish Ihsan a quick recovery and we are ready to give everything.'
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3 days ago
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Red Warriors charged up for Jordan encounter
MUSCAT, JUNE 3 With anticipation building and stakes higher than ever, the Oman national football team continued their final preparations ahead of the crucial clash against Jordan on Thursday in the decisive rounds of the AFC Asian Qualifiers — Road to 2026. The Red Warriors will conclude their warm-up sessions with a final training on Wednesday night at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex, the same venue that will host Thursday's pivotal encounter. This match marks the penultimate fixture for Oman in Group C, to be followed by an away challenge against Palestine on Tuesday in Amman city in Jordan. Oman's head coach Rasheed Jaber, supported by his assistant Yaqoob al Sabahi, is counting on the depth and experience of key players including: Ali al Busaidy, Ahmed al Khamisi, Harib al Saadi and Esam al Subhi, who recently scored the decisive goal in Oman's 1-0 friendly win over Lebanon. The squad also boasts promising young talents, such as Tariq al Saadi, who are ready to contribute in this defining phase beside many other young players. The striker Mohsin al Ghassani will miss Jordan match due to the yellow cards accumulative. The Jordanian team, led by head coach Jamal Salami, is expected to hold their official training session at the match venue on Wednesday, after concluding two warm-up days at Seeb Stadium. Jordan, like Oman, is targeting an automatic qualification berth and will be eager to protect their advantage from the first-leg win 4-0 last October. However, the calculations will be much different on Thursday assignment as Red Warriors will take the advantage of the home and fans support to register a positive result that will keep Oman's hopes alive for sealing direct berth towards USA, Mexico and Canada next year. Both teams will hold their official pre-match press conference and technical meeting on Wednesday, offering final insights into their preparations and strategies for what promises to be a tense, high-stakes contest. Oman, With ten points in hand, will aim to produce a statement performance to bring their Fifa World Cup 2026 dreams closer to reality especially they will receive an advantage of home support.
