Sunday 29 / December / 2024
Muscat: Oman head coach Rasheed Jaber remains firm in his belief that his team can go the distance in the tournament after securing a crucial 1-1 draw against the UAE on Friday, to set up a semi-final clash against Saudi Arabia in the ongoing 26th Gulf Cup Football Championship in Kuwait.
Oman’s semifinal opponent was confirmed on Saturday night after the final round of Group B matches. Bahrain, which had already secured their place in the semifinals, lost to Yemen 2-1 but still finished on top of the group despite Saudi Arabia ousting defending champions Iraq 3-1 in the other match on Saturday. Both Saudi Arabia and Bahrain finished with six points but the latter sealed the top spot on tie-breaker rule that counted head-to-head result. Bahrain had defeated Saudi Arabia 3-2 in the group stage to finish on top.
Oman finished as Group A topper and will now meet Saudi Arabia in the first semi-final on December 31, Tuesday. Yemen, despite, the win over Bahrain finished at bottom to exit along with the holders with three points each.
Jaber said: “We have a talented and capable group of players, and I’m confident we can go all the way in this tournament,” reaffirming his trust in his squad’s strength and potential to challenge for the title.
The match against the UAE on Friday was a challenging one for Oman.
Jaber explained, “It was a difficult match. We took some time to settle down, and the pressure from the previous matches affected our performance. Our players felt the weight of the responsibility, but they gradually found their way back into the game.”
Despite the early struggles, Oman held firm and secured the point they needed to progress to the semifinals.
Oman finished level on five points with Kuwait but topped Group A due to a better disciplinary record.
Both teams entered the last group-stage matches needing only a draw to qualify for the semifinals. While Oman and Kuwait had played out a 1-1 draw earlier in the group stage, it was Oman’s fair play that saw them edge their rivals and secure first place in the group.
“We are happy with today’s result, but now we turn our focus to the semifinal,” Jaber said, shifting his attention to the next challenge.
However, ahead of the semifinals, Jaber faces a potential setback with the injury to key player Salah Al Yahyaei, who suffered a calf strain during the match.
“Salah is an important player for us, but unfortunately, he suffered a new injury. We will assess his condition ahead of the semi-final,” Jaber added.
Friday’s match also witnessed a personal milestone for Oman’s striker Harib Al Saadi who completed 100 international games for the country.
Despite the challenges of the group stage, Jaber’s confidence in his squad is unwavering. With their semifinal spot secured, Oman is now poised to make a strong push for the title, with the coach’s belief in his team firmly intact.
Oman will play the first semi-final on December 31.
Oman play thrilling draw with the UAE
On Friday, UAE’s Yahya Al Ghassani made an early impact, scoring in the 20th minute to give his team a 1-0 lead. Oman struggled to find their rhythm in the first half, failing to equalise before the break as the UAE defence held firm.
However, Oman came out stronger in the second half and found the equaliser in the 79th minute. Abdulrahman Al Mushaifri’s timely strike levelled the score, giving Oman the crucial point they needed to secure their semifinal spot.
In injury time, the UAE had a chance to snatch the win when they were awarded a penalty following a foul by Oman goalkeeper Ibrahim Al Mukhaini on Tahnoon Al Zaabi in the 93rd minute.
Fabio Lima stepped up to take the penalty, but Al Mukhaini made a brilliant save, diving to his right to deny the UAE and spark jubilant celebrations from the Omani players and supporters.
