Sunday 05 / May / 2024
Muscat: Oman made a sensational start to their campaign in the AFC U-16 Championship with a 3-0 victory over Malaysia in Goa, India on Friday.
According to the news posted on the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) website, Arshad Al Alawi struck twice as Oman went on to win full points in their opening match of Group C played at the Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.
Thanks to Arshad Al Alawi’s well-struck penalty midway through the first half, Oman took a 1-0 lead into the break.
Yousuf Al Malki added another from the spot with half an hour remaining before Arshad Al Alawi’s second of the night 12 minutes from time wrapped up the victory as Oman moved to the top of the standings ahead of Iraq, who defeated South Korea 2-1 in an earlier Group C encounter.
Oman had the better of the opening exchanges and almost went in front after five minutes when defender Yahya Al Hudaifi fired just inches wide from 15 yards.
The Sultanate then took a deserved lead in the 20th minute after Muatasim Al Bakri was upended in the box by Mohammed A’sif and Arshad Al Alawi confidently dispatched the ensuing penalty to goalkeeper Firdaus Imran’s right.
Malaysia came back into the game and Mohammad Izreen was handed a golden opportunity on the half hour mark, only to shoot wide from close range after goalkeeper Yousuf Al Sheyadi parried out Zainul Arifin’s effort from distance.
Two-time champions Oman were the superior team, though, and Thamir Al Zaabi’s neat flick from Arshad Al Alawi’s cross forced Imran to get down well to save 10 minutes before the interval.
Yacoub Al Sabahi’s side should have doubled their advantage seven minutes after the restart when Mohammed Al Alawi’s low cross was diverted over the crossbar by Al Zaabi from just a few yards out when it looked easier to score.
But with Oman only a goal up Malaysia still had a fighting chance of getting something from a match in which they had rarely looked a goal-scoring threat.
And as the hour approached Izreen forced Al Sheyadi to push wide, before captain Muhamad Feroz’s goal from the ensuing corner was ruled out for off-side.
Oman were awarded another penalty on the hour after Al Shajibi danced through the Malaysia backline and was eventually brought down by Nor Amirul.
This time Al Malki was given the responsibility only to see his spot kick well blocked by Imran, but the defender was on hand to fire home the rebound and put his side on a commanding position.
The result was then put beyond doubt on 78 minutes when Arshad Al Alawi’s spun well 25 yards from goal before racing through and drilling low into the bottom left corner for his double.
Oman play their next match against South Korea on Monday.
Muntadher lifts Iraq
Earlier in the day, a pair of penalties from Muntadher Mohammed helped Iraq claim an impressive 2-1 win over South Korea.
Korea Republic went in front on 43 minutes through Jeong Chan-young, only for Mohammed to level from the spot just seconds before the interval.
Mohammed scored a second penalty of the afternoon early in the second half to round off the scoring as Iraq marked their first appearance in the tournament since 2012 by securing all three points.
After an even opening, 2014 runners-up Korea Republic had the first sight on goal when Park Jeong-In lashed into the side-netting from a narrow angle on 12 minutes.
Muntadher Abdulsada then headed wide from the penalty spot down the other end after being picked out by an inch-perfect Habeeb Mohammed cross from the right.
The Koreans then came closest to opening the scoring on the half-hour mark when Park Jeong-In curled his free-kick from fully 30 yards just wide of goalkeeper Ali Ibadi’s right post, before Park Chan-Bin was narrowly off target from the edge of the area as the East Asians cranked up the pressure.
And the deadlock was finally broken two minutes before half-time when Kim Tae-Hwan beat Ammar Mohammed down the right side before pulling back for Jeong to finish from 15 yards.
But the West Asians responded in perfect fashion when Mohammed stroked home his penalty in first-half stoppage time after Kim Min-hyeok was adjudged to have handled the midfielder’s cross from the left.
Then four minutes after the restart Kim Tae-Hwan upended Mohammed in the box and this time the influential number six sent goalkeeper Park Ji-Min the wrong way by firing low to his left to put his side 2-1 up.
Iraq had the better of the play but Seo Hyo-won’s team were presented with a chance midway through the half when Park Jeong-In shot across the face of goal from a tight angle, before the striker drilled wide from the edge of the area soon after.
As the final 10 minutes approached the Koreans pushed forward but struggled to create any clear-cut opportunities and it was Iraq who looked the more likely to add to their tally as Mohammed Dawood curled just over with three minutes to play.
Korea Republic then should have levelled with a minute left on the clock, but Cheon Seong-Hoon headed Park Chan-Bin’s cross wide from close in as the Iraqis held out.
