Oman U23s open West Asian tourney against Saudi Arabia
Published: 06:03 PM,Mar 18,2025 | EDITED : 10:03 PM,Mar 18,2025
Oman U23s open West Asian tourney against Saudi Arabia
Muscat: The Oman Olympic team kicks off its participation in the sixth West Asian U23 Championship on Wednesday with a match against Saudi Arabia at 11:30 pm at the Seeb Sports Stadium. The tournament, hosted in Muscat from March 19 to 25, serves as preparation for the Asian qualifiers in September.
Three other matches will also take place: Jordan will face Kuwait at 8:30 pm, Syria will play against Lebanon at 11:30 pm at Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Bausher, and Bahrain will meet the UAE at 8 pm at Seeb Stadium.
The teams are divided into four groups, with two teams in each group. The winners of the quarterfinals will advance to the semifinals, while the other teams will compete in placement matches to determine rankings from third to eighth place.
During the pre-tournament press conference held on Tuesday, Oman head coach Badr al Maimani welcomed all participating teams, wishing them a competitive and fruitful tournament. Regarding Oman’s preparations, Al Maimani stated that despite the limited time, the team had undergone good preparations. He expressed strong confidence in his players and their ability to deliver an outstanding performance.
Al Maimani emphasised that the tournament represents an important opportunity, especially following a long break for the Olympic team. He highlighted an agreement with the Oman Football Association to build a strong team for the future that will serve as a key feeder to the senior national team. He concluded by saying, “We will give our best in this tournament to achieve positive results.”
On the other hand, Saudi Arabia’s head coach, Luigi Di Biagio, acknowledged the difficulty of facing Oman, noting that the host team would exert maximum effort to secure positive results on home ground and in front of its fans. He added, “Our goal in this tournament is to perform at our best and advance as far as possible. Beyond competing for the title, we are also focused on improving our players by playing a series of strong matches.”
Jordan's head coach expressed his gratitude to the Jordanian Football Association for granting him the opportunity to lead the team in the championship. He mentioned that preparations for the match against Kuwait had gone well, despite the limited information available about their opponents due to changes in their squad. Nonetheless, he affirmed that the team trained in a positive atmosphere and that the players were eager to deliver a strong performance.
The Jordanian coach added that the team held a one-week training camp before the tournament, during which the coaching staff focused on increasing team cohesion and enhancing tactical aspects. He pointed out that the West Asian Championship provides a valuable opportunity to assess the team’s readiness and prepare for future competitions.
Kuwait’s head coach, Emilio Peixe, stated that the West Asian Championship is the team’s first official test, as the coaching staff has been working on building a new squad. This makes the tournament an ideal opportunity to evaluate player performance and prepare for the final qualifiers in September.
Peixe noted that the team underwent a short preparatory period and that the coaching staff did not have sufficient statistics on the participating teams due to changes in their line-ups. Nevertheless, he stressed that the team aims to give its best in the tournament and make the most of the matches to improve performance and team chemistry.
BAHRAIN AND UAE FOCUSED
Bahrain head coach Hisham al Damiqi stated that his team faces a tough match that requires a strong performance, acknowledging that the opponent is well-prepared with notable tactics and skills. However, he expressed complete confidence in his players, emphasising that the Bahrain Football Association had provided the necessary support, boosting the team’s ambition to advance as far as possible in the tournament. He highlighted the significance of the West Asian Championship due to its technical value, as the team will play three matches. He stressed that the encounter against the UAE would be decisive, with the team aiming for victory and qualification to the next round.
For his part, the UAE’s head coach mentioned that his team had previously faced Bahrain and was aware of their strength and the challenge of competing against them. However, he confirmed that the UAE team had prepared well for the championship, with the main objective being to progress as far as possible while focusing on evaluating player performance and improving their skills through competitive matches.
Syria head coach Imad al Din expressed his gratitude to the Oman Football Association for their hospitality and warm welcome. He stated that the West Asian tournament is a valuable opportunity for all participating teams, especially with upcoming competitions, allowing coaches to assess their players’ levels. He noted that the Syrian team had suffered from a four-month break due to recent events in Syria but was determined to perform well.
Al Din emphasised the importance of the tournament in providing strong competition for players against other teams, which will help in evaluating their performance and finalising the best squad for the next phase.
Lebanon head coach Jamal Taha pointed out that all teams aim to be fully prepared for upcoming commitments. He highlighted that his squad consists of promising young players, with the coaching staff working to select the best talents for the future.
Taha outlined three main goals: delivering a strong performance that reflects the team’s progress, preparing certain players for promotion to the senior national team as part of the federation’s plan to rejuvenate the squad due to ageing players, and providing young talents with the chance to prove themselves as key figures in the national team. He added that the tournament marks the first competitive appearance for many young players, making it a crucial platform for talent identification and development.
Pics by: Abdulwahid al Hamadani
Three other matches will also take place: Jordan will face Kuwait at 8:30 pm, Syria will play against Lebanon at 11:30 pm at Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Bausher, and Bahrain will meet the UAE at 8 pm at Seeb Stadium.
The teams are divided into four groups, with two teams in each group. The winners of the quarterfinals will advance to the semifinals, while the other teams will compete in placement matches to determine rankings from third to eighth place.
During the pre-tournament press conference held on Tuesday, Oman head coach Badr al Maimani welcomed all participating teams, wishing them a competitive and fruitful tournament. Regarding Oman’s preparations, Al Maimani stated that despite the limited time, the team had undergone good preparations. He expressed strong confidence in his players and their ability to deliver an outstanding performance.
Al Maimani emphasised that the tournament represents an important opportunity, especially following a long break for the Olympic team. He highlighted an agreement with the Oman Football Association to build a strong team for the future that will serve as a key feeder to the senior national team. He concluded by saying, “We will give our best in this tournament to achieve positive results.”
On the other hand, Saudi Arabia’s head coach, Luigi Di Biagio, acknowledged the difficulty of facing Oman, noting that the host team would exert maximum effort to secure positive results on home ground and in front of its fans. He added, “Our goal in this tournament is to perform at our best and advance as far as possible. Beyond competing for the title, we are also focused on improving our players by playing a series of strong matches.”
Jordan's head coach expressed his gratitude to the Jordanian Football Association for granting him the opportunity to lead the team in the championship. He mentioned that preparations for the match against Kuwait had gone well, despite the limited information available about their opponents due to changes in their squad. Nonetheless, he affirmed that the team trained in a positive atmosphere and that the players were eager to deliver a strong performance.
The Jordanian coach added that the team held a one-week training camp before the tournament, during which the coaching staff focused on increasing team cohesion and enhancing tactical aspects. He pointed out that the West Asian Championship provides a valuable opportunity to assess the team’s readiness and prepare for future competitions.
Kuwait’s head coach, Emilio Peixe, stated that the West Asian Championship is the team’s first official test, as the coaching staff has been working on building a new squad. This makes the tournament an ideal opportunity to evaluate player performance and prepare for the final qualifiers in September.
Peixe noted that the team underwent a short preparatory period and that the coaching staff did not have sufficient statistics on the participating teams due to changes in their line-ups. Nevertheless, he stressed that the team aims to give its best in the tournament and make the most of the matches to improve performance and team chemistry.
BAHRAIN AND UAE FOCUSED
Bahrain head coach Hisham al Damiqi stated that his team faces a tough match that requires a strong performance, acknowledging that the opponent is well-prepared with notable tactics and skills. However, he expressed complete confidence in his players, emphasising that the Bahrain Football Association had provided the necessary support, boosting the team’s ambition to advance as far as possible in the tournament. He highlighted the significance of the West Asian Championship due to its technical value, as the team will play three matches. He stressed that the encounter against the UAE would be decisive, with the team aiming for victory and qualification to the next round.
For his part, the UAE’s head coach mentioned that his team had previously faced Bahrain and was aware of their strength and the challenge of competing against them. However, he confirmed that the UAE team had prepared well for the championship, with the main objective being to progress as far as possible while focusing on evaluating player performance and improving their skills through competitive matches.
Syria head coach Imad al Din expressed his gratitude to the Oman Football Association for their hospitality and warm welcome. He stated that the West Asian tournament is a valuable opportunity for all participating teams, especially with upcoming competitions, allowing coaches to assess their players’ levels. He noted that the Syrian team had suffered from a four-month break due to recent events in Syria but was determined to perform well.
Al Din emphasised the importance of the tournament in providing strong competition for players against other teams, which will help in evaluating their performance and finalising the best squad for the next phase.
Lebanon head coach Jamal Taha pointed out that all teams aim to be fully prepared for upcoming commitments. He highlighted that his squad consists of promising young players, with the coaching staff working to select the best talents for the future.
Taha outlined three main goals: delivering a strong performance that reflects the team’s progress, preparing certain players for promotion to the senior national team as part of the federation’s plan to rejuvenate the squad due to ageing players, and providing young talents with the chance to prove themselves as key figures in the national team. He added that the tournament marks the first competitive appearance for many young players, making it a crucial platform for talent identification and development.
Pics by: Abdulwahid al Hamadani