Coach Al Azzani names 26 for Oman U20 test against Syria

MUSCAT: Oman’s national under-20 football team will begin a new domestic training camp in Muscat on Thursday as preparations intensify for the AFC U20 Asian Cup China 2027 Qualifiers.
National coach Hamad al Azzani has selected a 26-player squad for the camp, which will continue until August 17 and feature two international friendly matches against Syria on August 13 and 16.
The two encounters will provide the coaching staff with an important opportunity to assess the players under competitive conditions, evaluate their technical and physical readiness and refine the tactical approach ahead of the continental qualifiers. The possibility of arranging additional friendly matches during the camp is also being considered.
The squad comprises Al Mutasim al Maqbali, Yazan al Khaldi, Al Waleed al Rashdi, Ali al Alawi, Abdullah al Saadi, Ibrahim al Shamsi, Al Hassan al Qasimi, Fahad Bait Rabia, Ahmed al Amrani, Abdulrahman al Busaidy, Issam al Mukhaini, Mudathir al Batrani and Al Waleed al Buraidi.
Also included are Hassan al Hinai, Ahmed al Fahdi, Ibrahim al Tamimi, Khalil Arafah, Ziyad al Faraji, Abdullah al Oraimi, Hussam al Naabi, Mohammed al Sameen, Muzn al Hinai, Abdulaziz al Manwari, Abdulmunim al Habsi, Sulaiman al Kharousi and Ahmed al Rawahi.
The upcoming camp represents another important stage in Oman’s extensive preparation programme, which has included both domestic and overseas camps and a series of international and local friendly matches.
Oman have previously faced Iraq, Bahrain, Tajikistan and Egypt twice each, providing Al Azzani and his technical staff with opportunities to assess the squad’s progress against teams with different playing styles.
The young Red Warriors have also played several friendlies against domestic clubs. Those matches allowed the coaching staff to test different combinations, increase the players’ competitive minutes and evaluate their ability to implement the technical and tactical work covered during training.
The two matches against Syria are expected to serve as one of the final major tests before Oman travel to Doha for the qualifiers. The coaching staff will focus on strengthening coordination between the different departments of the team, addressing shortcomings identified in previous matches and finalising the squad for the Asian assignment.
OMAN IN GROUP E
Oman have been drawn in Group E alongside Saudi Arabia, hosts Qatar and Hong Kong. They will open their campaign against Qatar at Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium on August 31 before meeting Saudi Arabia at Hamad bin Khalifa Stadium on September 3. Their final group match against Hong Kong, China will take place at the same venue on September 6.
The Oman Football Association has continued to support the technical and administrative teams by providing camps and friendly matches in line with the coaching staff’s requirements, with the aim of ensuring the players reach the qualifiers in the best possible condition.
Al Azzani and his staff will be looking to use the remaining preparation period to sharpen the team’s tactical identity and improve consistency as Oman target a strong showing and positive results in Doha.