Latest news with #OdayKharoub
Observer
2 days ago
- Sport
- Observer
Al Sabhi's late penalty sends Oman to World Cup play-off
Muscat: Oman kept their 2026 FIFA World Cup dream alive after a dramatic 1-1 draw against Palestine on Monday evening, securing their place in the upcoming playoff round. The Group B qualifier, filled with intensity and tension, saw Palestine take the lead in the 49th minute through Oday Kharoub. The midfielder capitalized on a defensive lapse, curling a low shot past the Omani keeper to ignite celebrations in the Palestinian camp. Despite the setback and playing the final 20 minutes with 10 men following a red card to midfielder Harib al Saadi in the 73rd minute, Oman held their nerve. Their persistence paid off deep into stoppage time when striker Issam al Sabhi was brought down inside the penalty box. Al Sabhi, stepped up and confidently buried the spot kick in the 90+7th minute — a goal that not only levelled the score but also booked Oman's ticket to the playoff stage. Oman dominated the match in terms of possession (60%) and completed 463 passes with 82% accuracy. While Palestine registered more total shots (13 to Oman's 10), the Omani defense proved more efficient, with 12 successful tackles and fewer fouls committed (4). Statistically, the draw reflected Oman's disciplined strategy and tactical patience. Substitutions made late in the game — including the introductions of midfielders Ahmed Fawaz and Zahir al Aghbari — brought renewed energy to a side under pressure. This result places Oman fourth in Group B with 11 points, narrowly ahead of Palestine who finish on fifth. South Korea and Jordan claimed the top two spots to secure automatic qualification. Oman's next challenge lies in a decisive playoff fixture that could send them to the World Cup for the first time since 2022 qualification efforts fell short.
Muscat Daily
2 days ago
- Sport
- Muscat Daily
Al Sabhi's last-gasp penalty helps Oman keep World Cup hopes alive
Amman, Jordan – Oman kept their hopes of a place at the World Cup finals alive with a last-gasp 1-1 draw against Palestine in Jordan. Issam al Sabhi's penalty seven minutes into stoppage time earned Oman a draw that gave them fourth place in Group B kept their hopes alive at the expense of Palestine. Oman will feature in a fourth phase of qualifiers in October alongside Indonesia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Iraq and Saudi Arabia. A header by Oday Kharoub gave Palestine a 49th-minute lead and a second yellow card for Oman's Harib al Saadi had put Ihab Abu Jazar's side in control until the dying minutes, when Muhsen al Ghassani was brought down in the area. Al Sabhi stepped up to send goalkeeper Rami Hamada the wrong way to seal fourth place in the group for Oman and eliminate the heartbroken Palestinians. Palestine, a point behind Oman going into the match, signalled their intent as early as the fourth minute when Michel Termanini hit the bar with a powerful header that left Oman captain and keeper Faiyz al Rusheidi rooted. Both Ahmad Taha and Oday Kharoub then tried their luck with long range shots, with Aberdeen striker Oday Dabbagh making a spirited run towards goal in the 19th minute before losing the ball. Oman's first attempt at breaking the deadlock came in the 28th minute, when Rabia al Alawi ran down the right from his own half and took on three defenders in the 18-yard box before ballooning his shot. Both sides began running out of steam towards the end of the half, with Oman leaving the pitch with an edge in possession despite only having two shots at goal compared to their opponents' nine. Palestine again started the stronger side, and their efforts paid off in the 49th minute when Kharoub headed home at the near post off a corner by Adamhamza Kayed, who had come on after the break. Oman were dealt another blow in the 73rd minute when Harib Al Saadi received a second yellow card for a foul on Hamed Hamdan. Wessam Abou Ali had two chances in the last 10 minutes to double Palestine's lead, but saw his first shot saved by Al Rusheidi and his second go just past the right post. Issam then stepped up to send Oman into the playoffs after a foul by Taha on Muhsen al Ghassani as Palestine suffered heartbreak right at the very end.
The National
2 days ago
- Sport
- The National
Palestine World Cup dream over after heartbreaking draw with Oman
Palestine's dreams of reaching a first World Cup were left in ruins on Tuesday night after a heartbreaking 1-1 draw with Oman in Amman extinguished their hopes of progressing to the final qualification phase for the 2026 tournament in North America. Leading until deep into injury time, the Palestinians looked set to write a new chapter in their footballing story – one built on resilience, unity, and defiance amid adversity. But with the clock showing 90+7, Issam Al Sabhi broke Palestinian hearts, coolly converting from the spot after Muhsen Al Ghassani was brought down inside the area. The goal levelled the score, lifted Oman above Palestine into fourth place in Group B, and secured their passage to the fourth round of Asian qualifying. Palestine, in contrast, were left to reflect on what might have been. For long stretches, it had all seemed within their grasp. Oday Kharoub's perfectly guided header four minutes into the second half had put Palestine ahead, his glancing effort from Adam Kaied's corner nestling into the top corner and igniting belief in the stands – albeit a home crowd cheering from exile, with the team again forced to play at a neutral venue due to the ongoing conflict in Gaza. Oman's task grew tougher when midfielder Harib Al Saadi received a second yellow card in the 73rd minute, reducing the visitors to 10 men. Yet it was they who found another gear in the dying embers of the contest. The late penalty, awarded in contentious circumstances and was met with disbelief by the Palestinian players. But Al Sabhi showed none of that hesitation from the spot, calmly slotting past Rami Hamadi to silence the partisan crowd in the Jordanian capital. The result leaves Palestine outside the qualification reckoning, while Oman now join UAE, Qatar, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Indonesia in October's fourth round – two groups of three teams fighting for two remaining slots at the expanded 48-team tournament in the US, Mexico and Canada. There was jubilation elsewhere in Asia as Australia secured their sixth consecutive World Cup appearance with a gutsy 2-1 away win over Saudi Arabia in Jeddah. Tony Popovic's side needed only to avoid a heavy defeat but went one better, coming from behind in front of a hostile crowd at the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah. Abdulrahman Al Aboud gave Saudi Arabia the early lead, but goals from Connor Metcalfe and Mitch Duke, plus a late penalty save from captain Mathew Ryan, ensured a statement win for the Socceroos. 'We've built a good foundation now and we want to really get better, kick on and try and do something special at the World Cup,' said Popovic. Group winners Japan, meanwhile, thrashed Indonesia 6-0 in Osaka in a match that showcased their attacking depth, with Crystal Palace forward Daichi Kamada scoring twice. Elsewhere, South Korea routed Kuwait 4-0 in Seoul, with Lee Kang-in of Paris Saint-Germain among the scorers, and captain Son Heung-min making a late cameo appearance as he continues to recover from injury. In Group A, Iraq confirmed third place behind already-qualified Iran and Uzbekistan, defeating Jordan 1-0 in Amman. Despite the loss, the Jordanians can still celebrate a historic first appearance at a World Cup, having sealed qualification with a game to spare.
Al Jazeera
3 days ago
- Sport
- Al Jazeera
Palestine World Cup dream ends after late penalty heartbreak against Oman
Palestine's historic Asian Football Confederation (AFC) qualifying campaign for the 2026 FIFA World Cup was ended by a late Oman penalty in a 1-1 draw in their final group game. Needing a win to reach the fourth round of the AFC qualifiers, Palestine led deep into five minutes of injury time through Oday Kharoub's goal early in the second half. The scoreline would have been enough to propel Palestine past Oman into the fourth and final qualifying spot in Group B of the third round of the AFC qualifiers – a stage they had also reached for the first time. However, a tug of the shirt on a runner chasing a free kick from the deep was spotted by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), and Palestine's dream of a first appearance at a football World Cup ended with Essam Al-Subhi's spot kick in the 97th minute of the match. Kharoub's headed goal came after a fine first half for Palestine, in which Michel Termanini struck the bar with a header. Wessam Ali had a second for Palestine ruled out for a marginal offside, only moments after Oman's Harib Al-Saadi saw red for a second yellow following a foul on Hamed Hamdan in the 73rd minute. The decisive moment came, though, when Muhsen Al-Ghassani ran clear in the box in an attempt to reach a looped ball in the area. Ahmed Taha's grab at the runner was deemed illegal and the eliminating kick was awarded against Palestine. The run to the third round of the AFC qualifiers for the first time followed Palestine's historic feat of reaching the knockout stages of the last AFC Asian Cup for the first time. A first appearance at football's global showpiece was only one more match away until the late drama at the King Abdullah II Stadium in Amman, Jordan, where Palestine were forced to stage their home matches due to Israel's war on Gaza. The full-time whistle, and with it, anticipated scenes of wild celebration was cruelly only seconds away for Palestine. Instead, the tension that was palpably building ahead of the referee calling an end to the match turned to scenes of despair as tears rolled down the cheeks of the Palestine players, many of whom collapsed to the floor in disbelief. Oman now join Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Iraq and Indonesia, who lost 6-0 to Japan earlier in the day, in the fourth round of qualifiers, from which two teams will join the already six qualified nations from the third round of qualifiers. One final chance will be available for the third-placed team from the fourth round of qualifiers, as that nation will progress to the FIFA Intercontinental Playoffs in a last-chance saloon to line up at next year's finals. Australia became the final team to confirm their automatic qualification from the third round of qualifiers when they saw off Saudi Arabia's challenge for second spot in Group C with a 2-1 win in Jeddah. Alongside Australia – Japan, Iran, South Korea, Uzbekistan and Jordan, finished as the top two finishers in their group to book their places at the 2026 tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico. The latter two qualified for a World Cup for the first time.
