Oman step up Asian Cup preparations after Belarus camp

AHMED AL KAABI
MUSCAT, OCT 19
Oman’s national beach soccer team will resume preparations for next month’s Asian Cup with a domestic camp on October 25, following two demanding encounters against Belarus and Iran at the Friendship Cup in Minsk.
The overseas camp, which ran from October 13 to 18, gave head coach Talib bin Hilal al Thanawi an opportunity to assess his 14 players against strong opposition and test different tactical approaches ahead of a busy international schedule.
Oman finished third in the three-team tournament after losing 8-5 to Belarus on Friday and 8-2 to Iran on Saturday. Iran secured the trophy by defeating the hosts 5-1 in Sunday’s concluding fixture, finishing with six points ahead of Belarus on three. The competition followed a round-robin format.
Despite the opening defeat at the Peschanaya Dyuna Beach Sports Centre, Oman twice threatened to overturn Belarus’s advantage. Trailing 5-2 after the first period, they reduced the deficit to 5-4 in the second and later pulled within one goal again at 6-5 before the hosts scored twice to settle the contest.
Abdullah al Sawti struck twice for Oman, while Nooh al Zadjali, Abdulrahman al Fazari and goalkeeper Younis al Owaisi also found the net. Oleg Gapon scored a hat-trick for Belarus, with Anatoly Ryabko contributing two goals.
Against Iran, Fahad al Mishikhi brought Oman level at 1-1 late in the opening period, but the Iranians regained the lead before the break and took control with three unanswered goals in the second period. Muslim al Araimi scored Oman’s second from the penalty spot shortly before the final whistle.
The match also brought injury concerns, with captain Khalid al Araimi leaving the field after sustaining a head injury, while Salim al Araimi suffered a muscle injury. Al Thanawi used all available players during the tournament as he reviewed individual readiness and applied the tactical work undertaken in training.
Following a short break, the squad will regroup for a domestic camp from October 25 to November 1. Oman are then scheduled to compete in the Arab Championship in Egypt from November 4 to 11, followed by a final preparation camp in Thailand from November 13 to 17.
The AFC Beach Soccer Asian Cup Thailand 2026 will run from November 18 to 28, according to the Asian Football Confederation’s published schedule.
Oman have been drawn in Group C alongside the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Uzbekistan. The tournament also offers a route to the 2027 Fifa Beach Soccer World Cup, with three Asian places available, giving the remaining preparation stages added importance as Oman seek another appearance on the global stage.