
Red Warriors back to training for WC preparations
Oman team back to action on Friday night at Seeb Stadium marking the next phase of preparations for their upcoming World Cup qualifying fixtures after two days rest provided by the coaching staff following the friendly match against Niger which ended for Oman by 4-1.
The training venue was shifted from the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex to Seeb Stadium as per the coaching staff's decision. The Red Warriors will continue their final warm-up sessions at Seeb until the official pre-match training for the Jordan clash, which will be held back at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex.
Essam al Subhi (Al Quwa Al Jawiya, Iraq) and Al Mundher al Alawi (Al Zawra Club) joined the training sessions on Saturday night while Salah al Yahyaei (Al Khalidiya SC, Bahrain) is expected to join the squad by May 29. Meanwhile, Friday's session saw the participation of goalkeepers Ahmed al Rawahi and Motasim al Wahaibi, both of whom were recently called up by head coach Rasheed Jaber to replace the injured Ibrahim al Mukhaini, who is undergoing a four-week treatment period after sustaining a finger injury to his left hand. Mohsin al Ghassani (Bangkok United SC), who has completed his season in the Thai League, is already training with the squad, alongside promising newcomer Tariq al Saadi (UE Sant Andreu SC, Spain). Both players found the net in the recent friendly win over Niger, underlining their form and readiness.
As part of their buildup, Oman will face Lebanon in a closed-door friendly on Tuesday at Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex and the match will start at 8:00 pm. This fixture will serve as the final test for the national side before the two decisive matches in the third round of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Asian Qualifiers—against Jordan at home on June 5, followed by an away game against Palestine on June 10 in Jordan.
With the qualifiers fast approaching, the team is set to enter an intensive training program under the leadership of Coach Rasheed Jaber. Upcoming sessions will focus on attacking transitions, reinforcing defensive organization, and improving tactical cohesion across all lines of play.
Riding the momentum from back-to-back strong performances in March, the Red Warriors are determined to carry their form into the final qualifiers. The home clash against Jordan on June 5 is viewed as a pivotal encounter that could reignite Oman's qualification hopes and set the stage for a dramatic final showdown against Palestine on June 10.
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