Queiroz calls 18 players for decisive AFC Asian qualifiers

MUSCAT: Oman head coach, Carlos Queiroz, announced on Sunday the initial squad list for the Red Warriors first phase camp ahead of their decisive AFC Asian Qualifiers – Road to 2026 fixtures against Qatar and United Arab Emirates, scheduled for October 8 and 11 respectively in Doha. The opening local short gathering will begin on Monday and will run until Wednesday while the second one will start on Thursday and continue until October 6.
The preliminary list of the first phase camp featured 18 players and notably excluded Al Nahda club’s stars, who are preparing for their Gulf Club Championship opener against Saudi Arabia’s Al Shabab on Wednesday as they playing alongside Yemen’s Hadramout FC and Qatar’s Al Rayan club. The experienced midfield maestro Harib al Saadi will also miss the first clash against Qatar due to suspension while Seeb’s Nasser al Rawahi expected to step into the role after impressing in all four matches of the recent CAFA Nations Cup and with his club at Jindal league.
Professional midfielder Jameel al Yahmadi cleared from his Iraq’s Al Karma FC to join the camp of the national team, while the remaining overseas professionals are expected to link up with the squad during the second phase of preparations, scheduled between October 2 and 6 in Muscat ahead of travelling to Doha. As part of the final plan, the national team will depart for Doha on October 6, two days before the highly anticipated opener against hosts Qatar at Jassim bin Hamad Stadium. The Red Warriors will hold one official training session in Doha before their first encounter.
Oman team, currently ranked 78th in the latest Fifa Men’s World Ranking, will focus on October qualifiers are regarded as the most significant fixtures in the nation’s football history, with a maiden Fifa World Cup berth firmly within sight. Red Warriors delivered strong momentum from the CAFA Nations Cup, where they drew with Uzbekistan, defeated Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan, and narrowly bowed out to India on penalties in the third and fourth playoff.
SQUAD: Ibrahim al Mukhaini, Bilal al Balushi, Ahmed al Rawahi, Ali al Busaidy, Mahmood al Mushaifri, Ahmed al Khamisi, Musab al Shaqsi, Nayef Bait Subaih, Sultan al Marzooq, Musab al Maamari, Arshad al Alawi, Abdullah Fawaz, Ahmed al Riyami, Zaher al Aghbari, Jameel al Yahmadi, Hatim al Roushdi, Nasser al Rawahi, and Salah al Yahyaei.