Muscat: Oman will take on Saudi Arabia in a Gulf clash on Tuesday at Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex for the second round of group B matches in the deciding round qualifiers of the 2022 Fifa World Cup- Road to Qatar and 2023 AFC Asian Cup.
Oman is high on confidence after their recent historic win over Japan in Osaka city. The Oman team showcased a solid show on the pitch and the team has gelled well in Osaka city. The expectation will be high from all the fans in today’s encounter against World Cup regulars Saudi Arabia. The match will start at 8 pm.
Coach Branko Ivankovic’s men will eye a win and raise the tally to six points to claim the top spot in the group at Asian Qualifiers – Road to Qatar campaign and taking benefit of playing at home. The match will feature attendance of the spectators after an absence of two years due to Covid pandemic. A 30 percent capacity of the venue will register the presence of Red Warriors’ fans.
HOME GAME!
“It is great to play at home after long period. The team will do their level best in Saudi match and we are hoping for a good result especially at home and in front of the Sultanate’s fans. Saudi team is one of the best teams in Asia and attended World cup for many times. It is not an easy assignment but we will work to snatch the weak points of the opponents. A win against Saudi Arabia will boost the chances of the national team in the qualifiers and this is our target,” coach Branko said.
The Croatian coach added during the press conference on Monday at GW Marriot Hotel that all the players are fit for the match and there are no injuries. “Mohammed al Musallami is in good health status. I understood that the expectation is very high after Japan encounter. We are ready to play under stress. The players will provide their top show at home and in front of the fans,” he said.
The 67-year-old affirmed that Oman are placed in a tough group. “We will face top teams in Asia in the group matches including Saudi Arabia, Australia, China and Japan taking into consideration of the geography of these countries and the long travelling hours during the match days. We are working on all these aspects during the camps and warm-up gatherings,” he said.
Oman player Harib al Saadi voiced confident that he will work with teammates to target for the winning points in Saudi encounter. “We had worked very hard during the last camps including Serbia and other warm-up gatherings. The win registered against Japan in the previous game is the result of all our good work and preparation. We are fully focused on the Saudi match which will be attended by the fans which is a critical factor as we are looking ahead to be cheered up by our loyal fans,” Al Saadi said.
TOUGH CHALLENGE
On the other hand, Saudi Arabia head coach Herve Renard said the game will be a tough fixture especially after Oman recorded a stunning win against Japan in the first match.
“After both team have posted victories in the previous round, it is expected the match will be more interesting. Also, all the matches in this group at this stage will be difficult. This mean the team’s preparation should be on top level,” the French coach said.
Responding to a query on Oman’s win against Japan, Renard said: ”I am not surprised by the result. Oman players deserve the win for their top performance.”
The French coach added that they have experienced and talented players in the squad. “Having the experience and talent are not enough. Spirit of the team during the match is more essential as well. Our full focus is to end Oman game with a positive result,” he concluded.
