Latest news with #Roadto26
Observer
4 days ago
- Sport
- Observer
Rasheed targets playoff spot after Jordan defeat
MUSCAT, June 6 The national football team head coach, Rasheed Jaber, voiced confidence that the team can return back in the concluding match at the AFC Asian Qualifiers — Road to 26 on coming Tuesday against Palestine in Amman city. ' I am confident that the team can bounce back strongly and vie for a playoff spot. I hope all the players put the defeat behind and begin concentrating on the next assignment which is securing a place in the playoffs as an additional two tickets to next year's Fifa World Cup Finals will be at stake,' he added. Jordan imprinted their name in the history as they secured their maiden World Cup qualification in group B following their 3-0 win over Oman on Thursday night to join South Korea to the Fifa World Cup after their convincing 2-0 win over Iraq. Jordan's striker Ali Olwan was the man of the match as he starred with a hat-trick and delivered his team crucial three points to reach 16 points and book their spot at next year's global showpiece ahead of their match against Iraq on Tuesday as the latter suffered a 2-0 loss against South Korea. Oman, which has 10 ten points, will meet Palestine in Amman on Tuesday. Both teams will fight with Iraq on the remaining two playoff spots after Palestine edged Kuwait 2-0 on Thursday night to keep their hopes alive. "I extend my apologies to our fans, especially those who attended the match. We hoped to bring them joy, but the penalty late in the first half shifted the momentum. Jordan capitalised well and managed the second half with control and determination,' Jaber said 'We still have a final match in the qualifiers and we will fight for victory. It is important to rebuild our confidence and approach the game with full focus. The door to qualification via the playoffs is still open,' he concluded. On the other side, the head coach of Jordan Jamal Sellami celebrated his team's historic achievement, guiding Jordan to their first-ever Fifa World Cup qualification. Jordan's attendance in the global showpiece event was confirmed after South Korea's victory over Iraq by 2-0 as they secured top two slots in Group B of the AFC Asian Qualifiers — Road to 26. 'We believed in the win, but to finish 3-0 exceeded our expectations. This result reflects the spirit, ambition, and commitment of our players,' Coach Sellami said. 'Qualifying for the World Cup is a dream come true for Jordanian football, and I am proud to be part of this journey. The first goal gave us the upper hand, forcing Oman to push forward, and we used that to our advantage.' Moroccan Sellami ended ...
Saudi Gazette
6 days ago
- General
- Saudi Gazette
Saudi Arabia, Bahrain eye must-win clash in Asian qualifiers
Saudi Gazette report RIFFA — Saudi Arabia and Bahrain face a high-stakes showdown on Thursday in Group C of the AFC Asian Qualifiers – Road to 26, with both sides knowing that only victory will keep their World Cup dreams alive. Bahrain, currently on six points, are targeting a playoff berth after back-to-back losses to Indonesia and Japan in March ended their hopes of automatic qualification. They trail second-placed Indonesia by three points, with only the third and fourth-placed teams eligible for the intercontinental playoff route to the 2026 FIFA World Cup. While Bahrain's destiny is no longer in their own hands, Hélder Cristóvão's side remain mathematically in the race and will be eager to stay within reach heading into the final matchday. Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, are locked in a tense battle with Australia for the group's second automatic qualification spot, with leaders Japan already through to the Finals. The Green Falcons need all three points in Riffa to keep the pressure on the Socceroos ahead of Tuesday's final round. Should Australia stumble against Japan on Thursday, a Saudi win would set up a dramatic, winner-takes-all clash between the two sides next week. With everything on the line, both teams are expected to come out with full intensity in what promises to be a decisive encounter in the Road to 26 campaign.
Observer
6 days ago
- General
- Observer
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.'
Cision Canada
6 days ago
- Business
- Cision Canada
Midea becomes Global Supporter of the AFC's National Team Competitions
FOSHAN, China, June 4, 2025 /CNW/ -- Midea – one of the world's leading smart home appliance brands - is delighted to announce it has become a global supporter of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) National Team Competitions. This multi-year agreements kickstarts with the AFC Asian Qualifiers™ - Road to 26 and continues with AFC Women's Asian Cup Australia 2026™ that promises to inspire a whole new generation of footballers. Meanwhile the AFC U23 Asian Cup™ 2026 in Saudi Arabia is set to be highly competitive as teams look to win the title as well as qualification for the 2028 Summer Olympics. In 2027, Midea will also be present as a global supporter at the AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027™. It will be the first time the competition has been held in Saudi Arabia in what promises to be a historic event. "The next four years are set to be an important part of AFC's footballing history and Midea is excited to become part of all the memories. Combined with our club competition partnership, we look forward to growing together with AFC as Midea's home appliance businesses goes from strength to strength across the region," said Lewis Fu, President of Midea International Business. Midea and AFC are also pleased to announce that their partnerships will extend to AFC Youth Competitions, including the AFC U20 Asian Cup™, AFC U17 Asian Cup™, AFC U20 Women's Asian Cup™ and AFC U17 Women's Asian Cup™. About the AFC The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) is the governing body of Asian football and one of the six Confederations making up FIFA. Established in 1954, the AFC is headquartered in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and comprises 47 Member Associations. The AFC organises the AFC Asian Cup™ and the AFC Women's Asian Cup™ while the AFC Champions League Elite™ and AFC Women's Champions League™ are the premier competitions for Asian clubs. About Midea Midea is the world's leading smart home appliances brand and covers a wide range of product categories including air conditioners, refrigerators, washing machines, dishwashers, ovens, air fryers, and robot vacuum cleaners. Midea Group, established in 1968, is a leading global technology company with over 190,000 employees worldwide, an annual revenue of USD57.5 billion in 2024, and ranked #277 on the 2024 Fortune Global 500 list. Find out more about Midea home appliances at and Midea Group at
Observer
02-06-2025
- Sport
- Observer
Red Warriors eye triumph against Jordan in Muscat
MUSCAT, JUNE 2 All eyes will be on the final two matches of the AFC Asian Qualifiers — Road to 26 as Red Warriors will take on Jordan on Thursday in Muscat and followed by Palestine match on next Tuesday in Amman city. Red Warriors will focus to target for the triumph against Jordan to get inch closer for an automatic spot at the Fifa World Cup 2026 which will be be hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States. Oman under the coaching guidance of the experienced domestic coach Rasheed Jaber are seeking for a historic appearance at the global showpiece and all the fans are looking for achieving this dream which is getting closer in this qualifier. Coaching staff headed by Rasheed Jaber and his assistant Yaqoob al Sabahi are very busy to find the alternative for Amjad al Harthy in the defending line and the goalie Ibrahim al Mukhaini who both were suffering to an injury. Jameel al Yahmadi, Thani al Rushaidi and Mulhem al Sunaidy are different options for the coaching staff to cover Amjad's position while the goalie Fayez al Rushaidi is currently under a tight training sessions to register a come back to the team after his absence in the last few matches due to the injury. As part of their comprehensive preparations, 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. Jordan's head coach Jamal Salami is expected to focus on addressing tactical lapses and defensive errors from that match, though they also face injury concerns of their own, including the absence of Ihsan Haddad, while Noor Al Rawabdeh and Ali Alwan under medical team supervision before returning to action. Oman will be seeking revenge after suffering a 4-0 defeat to Jordan in the first-leg encounter in Amman last October. With a passionate home crowd behind them and momentum on their side, the Red Warriors will aim to flip the narrative and move a step closer to making history. Following the Jordan clash, Oman will conclude their qualification campaign with an away fixture against Palestine on Tuesday in what could be a decisive match for a place in the 2026 Fifa World Cup.
