Oman U20 Step Up Preparations Ahead of Syria Tests

MUSCAT: Oman’s national under-20 football team are stepping up preparations ahead of two international friendly matches against Syria as the young Red Warriors enter a decisive stage of their build-up for the AFC U20 Asian Cup China 2027 Qualifiers.
With less than three weeks remaining before their opening qualifying match, head coach Hamad al Azzani and his technical staff are continuing the current domestic camp with the focus increasingly turning towards the two Syria encounters on August 13 and 16. The camp runs until August 17.
The upcoming matches will provide Oman with an important opportunity to measure their progress under competitive conditions before the coaching staff move towards finalising preparations for the continental assignment.
Unlike the earlier stages of the programme, which were largely centred on assessing a wider pool of players and building the squad, the current phase comes much closer to the qualifiers and gives Al Azzani limited time to settle on his preferred combinations and ensure greater consistency in the team’s performance.
The technical staff have already worked with nearly 80 players since the preparation programme began in April before gradually reducing the group. Oman have completed several domestic and overseas camps during that period, while the current camp features a 26-player squad.

SYRIA ARRIVE AFTER BAHRAIN TESTS
Syria will provide Oman with another useful international test after completing two friendly matches against Bahrain in Manama.
The Syrian U20 side lost both encounters 1-0, with the first played on August 5 and the second on August 9. Syrian coach Arno Buitenweg used the matches to rotate his squad and assess the readiness and cohesion of his players, including several who are based with European clubs.
The Syrian side are also preparing for the AFC U20 qualifiers, where they will compete in Group B alongside hosts Uzbekistan, India and Bangladesh. Following the two matches against Oman, Syria are scheduled to continue their preparation programme with a camp in Qatar that will include a friendly against Saudi Arabia.
For Oman, the Syria double-header represents one of the final opportunities to test the team at international level before turning full attention to the qualifiers in Doha.
The young Red Warriors will compete in Group E alongside hosts Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Hong Kong, China. Oman begin their campaign against Qatar on August 31, followed by Saudi Arabia on September 3 and Hong Kong, China, on September 6. Qualification will be secured by the eight group winners and the seven best runners-up.
With the qualifying campaign approaching, the remaining days of the camp and the two Syria matches will be crucial for Al Azzani and his staff as they seek to have the squad ready for three important matches in the space of a week in Doha.