MUSCAT: Oman will target to seal their spot in the next stage when they face Chinese Taipei on Thursday in their penultimate round of the Preliminary Joint Qualification - Round 2 for the Fifa World Cup 2026 and AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027 Group D in Taipei. Red Warriors are entering this encounter with high hopes after the impressive show and essential triumph against Malaysia by 2-0 in the previous rounds.
The Oman delegation arrived on Tuesday in Taipei city ahead of the match by two days. During these days, the team will train in the Taipei Municipal Stadium during the evening sessions.
On Tuesday, the coaching staff preferred to do some recovery sessions for the players after the long flight from Muscat to Taipei. The team will resume their training sessions on Wednesday. Czech coach Jaroslav Silhavy will focus on the playing strategy for the match and finalising the starting list. The team is fully aware of this tie’s importance to claim the required three points to inch closer to the next stage ahead of the concluding qualifier match of Group D against Kyrgyzstan on June 11. Oman had managed to beat Chinese Taipei in Muscat by 3-0 on November 16, 2023.
Kyrgyzstan is currently leading Group D by nine points with goal difference from the national team who are positioned in the second place with the same points. Then, the Malaysian team is third with six points followed by Chinese Taipei with no points.
Oman national team players, under supervision of Silhavy, had switched gears at Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex to overcome their Taipei rivals. Silhavy will be aiming to secure their third consecutive victory in the qualifiers and continue in moving on the winning path to ensure team’s topping in the group and progressing to the next round of the qualifiers.
Oman team began their actual preparations for the remaining matches in the joint qualifiers with a domestic camp in Muscat started on last Tuesday. All the 25 selected players attended the camp which focused on different areas including physical, technical and tactical.
Oman Squad: Ibrahim al Mukhaini,Faiz al Rushaidi, Ahmed al Rawahi, Ahmed al Khamisi, Khalid al Buraiki, Mohammed al Musallami, Ghanim al Habsi, Abdulaziz al Shammosi, Amjad al Harthy, Ali al Busaidy, Ahmed al Kaabi, Arshad al Alawi, Abdullah Fawaz, Harib al Saadi, Nasser al Rawahi, Omar al Malki, Salah al Yahyaei, Zahir al Aghbari, Issam al Subhi, Jameel al Yahmadi, Abdulrahman al Mushifri, Musab al Maamari, Mohsin al Ghassani, Mohammed al Ghafri and Waleed al Musallami.
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