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Oman U20s return to action for Gulf Cup

Oman U20s return to action for Gulf Cup

Observer2 days ago
MUSCAT, AUG 12
The Oman Under-20 team will be back in action after long absence on Wednesday for the first domestic training camp, under new coaching staff led by Hamed al Azani. The camp will run from Wednesday until August 23.
The scheduled local gathering is part of the team's preparations for the inaugural U20 Gulf Cup which is set to take place in Saudi Arabia from August 28 to September 10, 2025. Oman will play in Group B alongside Iraq, Bahrain and Egypt (as guest team in the event) while Group A comprises Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait and Yemen. Oman will meet Egypt on August 29 and then will take on Bahrain on September 1 and will conclude the group matches on September 4 against Iraq.
The new head coach, Hamed al Azani, opted for a 28-player squad for the domestic camp including most of the players, born in 2007 and 2008 and took part in the AFC U17 Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia earlier this year under former coach Anwar al Habsi. Al Azani preferred to continue with this squad for better harmony as part of the team's future preparation for the upcoming U20 Asian Championship qualifiers in 2026.
This training phase will represent Oman's first appearance in youth competition since last September's U20 Asian Cup qualifiers led by former coach Ahmed al Alawi. The camp which will start on Wednesday will allow the coaching staff to thoroughly assess talent and prepare effectively for the Gulf Cup. Also, it will be vital to help the young players grow and develop experiences that will serve them in future continental challenges.
Oman U20 Squad: Riyadh al Tarshi, Hussam al Naabi, Al Waleed al Abdulsalam, Firas al Saadi, Ahmed al Omrani, Osama al Maamari, Amed al Rawahi, Al Yazen al Balushi, Mohammed al Mashakheyi, Yazen al Khaldi, Abdulaziz al Balushi, Ibrahim al Tamimi, Ali al Owaini, Al Hassan al Qasmi, Fahad al Mashakehyi, Al Waleed al Buraidi, Ibrahim al Shamsi, Ziyad al Matani, Abdullah al Wahabi, Ali al Alawi, Mohammed Ghanim, Momen al Souli, Fahad Bait Rabee, AbdulRahman al Busaidy, Sulieman al Kharousi, Tamim al Buraii, Muzun al Hinai and Al Waleed al Rashdi.
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Oman U20s return to action for Gulf Cup
Oman U20s return to action for Gulf Cup

Observer

time2 days ago

  • Observer

Oman U20s return to action for Gulf Cup

MUSCAT, AUG 12 The Oman Under-20 team will be back in action after long absence on Wednesday for the first domestic training camp, under new coaching staff led by Hamed al Azani. The camp will run from Wednesday until August 23. The scheduled local gathering is part of the team's preparations for the inaugural U20 Gulf Cup which is set to take place in Saudi Arabia from August 28 to September 10, 2025. Oman will play in Group B alongside Iraq, Bahrain and Egypt (as guest team in the event) while Group A comprises Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait and Yemen. Oman will meet Egypt on August 29 and then will take on Bahrain on September 1 and will conclude the group matches on September 4 against Iraq. The new head coach, Hamed al Azani, opted for a 28-player squad for the domestic camp including most of the players, born in 2007 and 2008 and took part in the AFC U17 Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia earlier this year under former coach Anwar al Habsi. Al Azani preferred to continue with this squad for better harmony as part of the team's future preparation for the upcoming U20 Asian Championship qualifiers in 2026. This training phase will represent Oman's first appearance in youth competition since last September's U20 Asian Cup qualifiers led by former coach Ahmed al Alawi. The camp which will start on Wednesday will allow the coaching staff to thoroughly assess talent and prepare effectively for the Gulf Cup. Also, it will be vital to help the young players grow and develop experiences that will serve them in future continental challenges. Oman U20 Squad: Riyadh al Tarshi, Hussam al Naabi, Al Waleed al Abdulsalam, Firas al Saadi, Ahmed al Omrani, Osama al Maamari, Amed al Rawahi, Al Yazen al Balushi, Mohammed al Mashakheyi, Yazen al Khaldi, Abdulaziz al Balushi, Ibrahim al Tamimi, Ali al Owaini, Al Hassan al Qasmi, Fahad al Mashakehyi, Al Waleed al Buraidi, Ibrahim al Shamsi, Ziyad al Matani, Abdullah al Wahabi, Ali al Alawi, Mohammed Ghanim, Momen al Souli, Fahad Bait Rabee, AbdulRahman al Busaidy, Sulieman al Kharousi, Tamim al Buraii, Muzun al Hinai and Al Waleed al Rashdi.

Oman placed in Pot 1 for AFC U17 Asian Cup qualifiers draw
Oman placed in Pot 1 for AFC U17 Asian Cup qualifiers draw

Observer

time28-07-2025

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Oman placed in Pot 1 for AFC U17 Asian Cup qualifiers draw

MUSCAT, July 28 The Oman Under-17 team was placed in the first pot for the upcoming AFC U17 Asian Cup qualifiers draw which is scheduled to take place on August 7 at the headquarters of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Being seeded in Pot 1 was based to the national team's results in the last edition of AFC Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia besides the 2023 edition of the same event. The top-seeded teams in Pot 1 included: Oman, Australia, Yemen, Iran, Thailand, China and Vietnam. These teams are considered regional powerhouses based on their recent performances and rankings at the continental level. The draw will also include teams placed in other pots according to their seeding as Pot 2 featured teams of Afghanistan, India, Malaysia, Iraq, Bangladesh, Laos and Kuwait. Bahrain are placed in Pot 3 besides Myanmar, Philippines, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Palestine. Pot 4 comprised Syria, Mongolia, Cambodia, Hong Kong, Jordan, Chinese Taipei and Brunei while Pot 5 saw teams of Nepal, Bhutan, Mariana Islands, Guam, Maldives, Timor-Leste and Lebanon. The last and concluding Pot 6 included: Macau, Sri Lanka and Pakistan teams. The qualifying matches are scheduled for November 2025 as the top teams will book their tickets to the AFC U17 Asian Cup finals while it is expected to be opportunities for the best runners up to join the teams in the Asian finals. In preparation for the qualifiers, the Oman Football Association (OFA) is expected to announce a new coaching team soon following the replacement of coach Anwar al Habsi, the former head coach. The announcement will be part of the OFA's wider plan to enhance technical readiness and ensure optimal performance during the qualifiers. Oman's U17 side showed solid performance during the AFC U17 Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2025 which was held earlier in April. Despite the top performance by Oman team boys, the team narrowly missed out on qualification to the Fifa U17 World Cup. Oman began their campaign with a 2-1 loss to Tajikistan, but bounced back impressively with a historic 2-1 win over Iran, followed by a 2-2 draw with North Korea. Unfortunately, the result against North Korea meant Oman finished third in Group D with four points, just one short of North Korea's five points, who advanced as group runners-up. Tajikistan topped the group after stunning Iran 3-1 in the final group match.

Ali al Habsi appointed technical adviser for development at OFA
Ali al Habsi appointed technical adviser for development at OFA

Observer

time11-07-2025

  • Observer

Ali al Habsi appointed technical adviser for development at OFA

MUSCAT: nIn a move that underscores its strategic focus on enhancing the development of football in the Sultanate of Oman, the Oman Football Association (OFA) has appointed Ali bin Abdullah al Habsi as Technical Adviser for Development. Al Habsi, who is widely regarded as one of the most prominent figures in Omani sports, brings with him invaluable expertise following a distinguished football career that spanned more than two decades. Al Habsi was Born in Muscat, he began his career at Al Mudhaibi Club before joining Al Nasr. His early promise led to a historic move to Europe, making him the first goalkeeper from the Gulf region to play in the English Premier League. He represented top-tier clubs including Bolton Wanderers, Wigan Athletic — where he was part of the FA Cup-winning squad in 2013 — and Reading FC, where he was twice named Player of the Season. On the international stage, Al Habsi earned over 130 caps with the Oman national team and played a key role in their Gulf Cup victory in 2009, where he was named Best Goalkeeper of the tournament. Since his retirement in 2020, Al Habsi has remained committed to the development of football in Oman. In his new advisory role, he is expected to focus on nurturing emerging talent, supporting technical staff, and advising on long-term strategies to boost Oman's football competitiveness. The OFA's decision to bring Al Habsi on board reflects a forward-looking vision aimed at sustainable sporting excellence.

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