MUSCAT: Oman kicked off the Preliminary Joint Qualification – Round 2 for the Fifa World Cup 2026 and AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027 with a 3-0 defeat of Chinese Taipei in Group D at Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex on Thursday.
Omar al Malki found the breakthrough with a header in the 17th minute before Ahmed al Kaabi doubled Oman’s lead straight from a corner before the break. Mataz Saleh sealed the win with a late goal to help the hosts make a winning start to their qualification campaign.
After a quiet opening quarter of an hour in the Omani capital, Branko Ivankovic’s side pulled into the lead when centre-back Khalid al Braiki headed a Jameel al Yahmadi free-kick back across the goal for Al Malki to guide home in the 17th minute.
Opportunities continued to be at a premium, but the home side came close to doubling their lead at the half hour mark when Al Yahmadi’s low drive from the edge of the box was kept out by a save from Chinese Taipei goalkeeper Pan Wen-chieh.
Al Malki volleyed over from 12 yards out in the 40th minute before Pan made a diving save to deny Issam al Sabhi’s effort from distance. However, a mistake from the Tainan City shot-stopper from the resulting corner gave Oman a 2-0 lead at the interval.
Pan tried to punch away the inswinging corner delivered by Oman right-back Al Kaabi, but it slipped through his gloves into the goal to give the hosts a comfortable cushion ahead of the second half.
Pan was once again called into action five minutes after the restart when Oman’s Harib al Saadi tested his luck with a shot from 40 yards out before Ange Kouame went close for Gary White’s Chinese Taipei with a shot that landed on the roof of the goal a few minutes later.
Substitute Saleh ran onto a Jameel al Yahmadi pass and finished past Pan in second-half injury time to seal the 3-0 win for Oman who are looking to reach the third round for the second time running.
Oman will now travel to Bishkek to take on Kyrgyz Republic in their next outing in Group D on November 21 while Chinese Taipei will host Malaysia on the second matchday. -- AFC
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