Oman to host Asian U-19 qualifiers

MUSCAT, Nov 5 - The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has chose the Sultanate to host the AFC Asian Championship Qualification Group A matches after the event was moved out of Iraq over security concerns. The qualification matches will be held at Al Seeb Stadium from November 22 to 30. The Oman U-19 team will play against Palestine, Kuwait, Iraq and Pakistan in Group A of the qualifications for the AFC Asian U-19 Championship in Iraq in 2020. The Sultanate team will begin their campaign by taking on Palestine in the opening match on November 22 while Kuwait will play Pakistan. On November 26, Oman will take on Kuwait while in the third match the Sultanate team will meet Pakistan on November 28. The final match of the national team will be against Iraq on November 30. The Oman Football Association (OFA) will gear up for the final preparations ahead of the teams’ arrival in Oman to ensure the success of the AFC Asian Championship Qualification in Muscat. OVERSEAS CAMPS Oman national U-19 football team is undergoing an overseas camp in Qatar which included friendly against Qatar. Qatar beat Oman 3-1. The camp which will last until November 10 will be the last warm-up camp for the players before entering to the final stages prior to the AFC Asian Championship Qualification. Yaqoob al Sabahi, head coach, will announce the final list of the team after the Doha camp. Earlier, the team had completed an Egypt camp in September. The team had played many preparatory matches. The national team boys played out a goalless draw against Saudi Arabia in the first warm-up match.They also edged Ahli Egypt U-19 Club 2-1 in the second friendly where Omar al Salti and Yousef al Shukaily netted for the Sultanate. The team suffered a loss against Egypt U-18 team. Also, the Oman squad had another external camp in Romania in August. The team had registered a 2-0 win against Moldova U-19 in a friendly as part of the camp. In another warm-up match, Oman beat Romania 2-1. After the U-16 team secured their slot in the AFC Asian Championship, U-19 team will definitely look to repeat the same and to book their direct ticket to the Asian championship finals in Iraq in 2020. Oman U-19 probables: Abdulhameed al Hasani, Nouh al Raqadi (Bausher), Maytham al Ajmi (Al Ettihad), Muntaser al Zadjali, Al Yaqdhan al Mushaifri (Al Seeb), Nibras al Mashari, Essa al Naabi (Muscat), Fahim al Saadi (Al Musannah), Mohammed al Balushi, Wael al Harthi, Said al Salami (Al Suwaiq), Mohammed al Tarshi, Al Azhar al Balushi, (Al Shabab), Mahmood al Alawi, Omar al Salti, Hamad al Mukhani, Salim al Dawodi (Al Oruba), Mulham al Sunaidy (Oman), Fahd al Rasbi (Al Kamil W’al Wafi), Omar al Naimi, Nasser al Naimi, Mohammed al Hnai (Al Nahdha), Yousef al Shukaili (Ibri), Dawood al Jabri (Fanja), Abdullah al Yarubi (Al Bashayer), Salah al Khali, Khalfan al Rudaini, Khalid al Abadi (Saham) and Yousef al Shukaili (Ibri).