Oman futsal team will face a tough challenge of battling with the hosts Kuwait, 16-time Asean champions Thailand and Iraq in Group A after the draw for AFC Futsal Asian Cup was made on Thursday remotely.
Uzbekistan led Group B besides Bahrain, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan while 12-time champions Iran were drawn in Group C besides Lebanon, Chinese Taipei and Indonesia.
Japan, the only other team to lift the continental trophy, were drawn in Group D with Vietnam, Korea Republic and Saudi Arabia.
The finals will be held in Kuwait for the first time during September 27 until October 8. The respective group winners and runners-up will seal places in quarterfinals while the third and fourth placed teams will exit from the Asian tourney.
Coached by national coach Younis al Fahdi, Oman futsal team had booked their spot in the AFC Futsal Asian Cup Kuwait 2022 after beating neighbours UAE 5-3 in the West Asia play-off in last April. Five teams from West Asia have qualified to the Asian futsal event in Kuwait including Lebanon and Saudi Arabia from Group A, while Iraq and Bahrain made the finals from Group B and Oman entered through play-off.
Oman futsal team concluded their participation at the GCC Games which is underway in Kuwait few days ago. Al Fahdi battalion began their campaign at the GCC Games in style with a 2-1 win over UAE team in the opening game at Shaikh Saad Al Abdullah Multi Sports Complex B Stadium. In the following game, Oman’s men suffered to a 2-0 loss by Bahrain team and then another defeat from Saudi Arabia by 3-0 in the third fixture. Oman team ended their campaign against the hosts Kuwait with a 3-1 defeat.
The coaching staff headed by Al Fahdi will review and analyse the team’s performance during the Gulf event. The Asian Cup futsal will be the main task for the team in this year. The team’s technical staff will draw the preparatory plan for the debutants at the Asian Cup with three months left for the event.
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