Al Ghafri hits brace as Oman outclass Niger in friendly
MUSCAT, May 21
Oman national football team outclassed Niger team 4-1 in a friendly game on Tuesday as apart of the underway domestic camp in Muscat to gear up for the two remaining fixtures in the Fifa World Cup 2026 Asian Qualifiers.
The closed-door match, arranged upon the recommendation of both teams' technical staff, featured five goals including four goals for Oman team scored by rising talent Tariq al Saadi who opened the scoring with a penalty in the 25th minute, followed by a brace from Mohammed al Ghafri (45', 46') and a penalty goal from Mohsin al Ghassani in the 86th minute. The first half concluded with Oman leading 3-1, before Ghassani sealed the win in the second half.
The second half saw seven substitutions, offering valuable minutes to several squad members including goalkeeper of Al Shabab club AbdulMalik al Badri, Hatim al Roushdi, Yousef al Malki, Ahed al Mashakheyi, Hussain al Shahri, Issa al Naabi, and Mohammed Abdulhakeem. The fixture allowed the coaching staff to focus on improving offensive coordination and reinforcing defensive structures, as well as enhancing player synergy across all lines.
Head coach Rasheed Jaber, along with his assistant Yaqoob al Sabahi, used the match as a platform to assess player readiness and fine-tune the squad ahead of the critical qualifiers against Jordan on June 5 in Muscat, and against Palestine on June 10 in Jordan.
On the other side, the Oman head coach called up goalkeeper Ahmed al Rawahi and Motasim al Wahaibi to cover the absence of injured Ibrahim al Mukhaini following confirmation from the medical team that Al Mukhaini has sustained a finger injury on his left hand. He is expected to undergo a four-week recovery period under full medical supervision.
Oman currently sit in fourth place in their group with 10 points from eight matches, trailing group leaders South Korea by six points with two rounds remaining. The Red Warriors are determined to capitalise on their recent momentum and aim for two decisive victories to keep their World Cup qualification hopes alive.
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