MUSCAT, June 1 - Oman national U-19 football team will commence their comprehensive preparatory plans on June 28 as the team will take part at the AFC Asian Qualification in November, according to Yaqoob al Sabahi, the head coach of U-19 national football team.
The Sultanate team will play against Palestine, Kuwait, Iraq and Pakistan in group A of the qualifications to AFC Asian U-19 Championship in Iraq in 2020. The qualifications will begin during 2 to 10 Nov 2019.
“By end of June, almost all the players will complete their educational exams. We set the plans accordingly and are waiting for the final confirmation from the Oman Football Association (OFA) regarding some aboard camps and friendly matches,” Al Sabahi added.
The experienced national coach of the junior teams stated that the first domestic camp will take place on June 28 to July 9 in Muscat. “As per the current preparatory schedule, we will play a series of friendly matches but that depends on the confirmation we receive from the related associations,” Oman national U-19 football team said.
“There are formal communications and correspondence is going on between the national teams committee at OFA and Syrian Football Associations to have two friendly matches in summer. I believe our local players are required to have more number of international matches to raise their technical level. Also, the existing preparations plan of the team will be mainly in summer which will match the off season internally. Therefore, participating at friendly tournaments and playing preparatory matches will be a key solution for that,” the former U-16 team coach added.
“The technical coaching staff of the team began their responsibilities to collect some data on the opponent teams including Palestine, Kuwait, Iraq and Pakistan. Our main focus now is on Palestine as our first match is with them on November 2,” head coach of national U-19 team concluded.
The “Red Warriors” had an external camp in Lebanon in April. The Sultanate team registered victories in both matches as they beat Lebanon 2-0 and 2-1 in the friendly matches. Also, the national U-19 team had another external camp in Bahrain in last February. The abroad preparatory camp lasted for 10 days in Manama city and included two friendly matches against Bahrain. The first match ended with a 1-1 draw, while Oman junior team registered a 3-0 victory in the second match.
Oman national (U-19) team squad include the following members (born in 2000, 2001 and 2002): Maytham al Ajmi (Al Ettihad), Hamza Qasboob (Al Ettihad), Mulham al Sunaidy (Al Oruba), Nouh al Raqadi (Bausher), Qusai al Jaradi (Al Seeb), Al Yaqdhan al Mushaifri (Al Seeb), Sufyan bait Amer (Dhofar), Essa al Naabi (Muscat), Nibras al Mashari (Muscat), Abdullah al Yarubi (Al Bashyer), Hamza al Ghafri (Al Rustaq), Mohammed al Balushi (Al Suwaiq), Said al Salami (Al Suwaiq), Mohammed al Tarshi (Al Shabab), Al Azhar al Balushi (Al Shabab), Nasser al Naabi (Al Shabab), Salim al Abdulsalam (Saham), Abdullah al Musharafi (Sur), Omar al Salti (Al Oruba), Hamed al Mukhani (Al Oruba), Mahmood al Alawi (Al Oruba), Ahmed al Sulaimi (Fanja) and Fahad al Rasbi (Al Kamil W’al Wafi).
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
