Thursday 26 / December / 2024
Muscat: Oman will harbour their chances against hosts Jordan at the Amman International Stadium when the teams meet in a crucial Group B clash of the AFC Asian Qualifiers – Road to 26 on Tuesday.
The match kicks off at 8pm, Oman time.
The Red Warriors, under their head coach, Rasheed Jaber, have displayed a positive and attacking mindset that led them to taste their maiden success in the Group B last week.
In a dominating performance, Oman humbled Kuwait 4-0 at home on Thursday to not only collect their first points in the campaign but also travel to Jordan with their morale high.
Oman had begun their third round qualifiers with two successive defeats under Czech manager Jaroslav Silhavy forcing the Oman Football Association to sack him.
Jaber’s appointment as head coach has brought in a whiff of fresh air and a sense of confidence among the boys.
The Omani coach had previously led the national senior team more than two decades back during the Gulf Cup in Riyadh in 2002.
Following the 4-0 demolition of Kuwait to kick-start his tenure in a swashbuckling manner, Jaber warned his boys against any complacency ahead.
“We must be careful not to be complacent, the road is still long and difficult in the Qualifiers.”
At the pre-match press conference on Monday, Jaber said: "Our preparations started even before the Kuwait match, and everything has been progressing smoothly. Jordan are a well-organised team with key players, so this is a crucial match. Our objective is to finish the game on a successful note."
He added: "The mental focus of the players is vital - whether we’re playing at home or away, it directly influences our performance. We must be flawless on the field."
Reflecting on the Kuwait win, Jaber remained focused on the challenge ahead. "We’re back in the competition after the victory, but Jordan will be a tough opponent. If we want to advance in the Asian qualifiers, we need to deliver an exceptional performance on Tuesday," he added.
The 60-year-old Jaber pointed out the competitive nature of the group. "The difficulty in this group lies in how closely matched all the teams are. Football often hinges on small details, and I expect my players to show independence and precision on the pitch. Every team knows each other’s strengths and weaknesses, but our goal is to secure a positive result and stay in the race."
He emphasised the importance of teamwork and strategy. "There’s no such thing as an easy match in this group - or in football in general. Success depends on paying attention to the small details and playing as a cohesive unit, not relying on individual efforts," he said.
The 60-year-old Jaber will also bring in his experience as head coach of Jordan’s top club, Al Wehdat. The Omani manager was at the helm of the club from August to December last year and the current Jordan squad includes quite a few players from Al Wehdat.
Hosts Jordan will look to recover from their recent slump after they lost 2-0 to South Korea last week at home.
With four points from three games, Jordan sit third - three points behind joint leaders South Korea Republic and Iraq. Oman are a close fourth in the six-team pool with three points. Kuwait and Palestine follow with two and one point respectively.
Jordan head coach Jamal Sellami pointed to the absence of key players Mousa Al Tamari and Yazan Al Naimat as reasons for the loss to South Korea.
“The circumstances of the match didn’t favour us, but I take responsibility for the result. We lacked strength with Al Taamari out, and although Al Naimat came on in the second half, we weren’t at our best. However, we will bounce back,” said Sellami.
Al Tamari remains unavailable for the Oman match as he is sidelined with injury.
In the other Group B games on Tuesday, Palestine take on Kuwait while South Korea clash with Iraq in a battle to grab the top spot.
