Oman drawn in tough group for Beach Soccer WC

Muscat - The Oman national beach soccer team will face a tough and challenging path in their fifth presence at the Fifa Beach Soccer World Cup 2024 after the team was drawn in Group D along with heavyweights Brazil (record five-time champions), Portugal (champions of 2015 and 2019) and Mexico teams.

Group A featured hosts United Arab Emirates, Egypt, USA, and Italy teams. Iran, defending champions of AFC Beach Soccer Asian Cup held in Bangkok in March, will vie in the prestigious beach soccer event at Group B which comprises Argentina, Spain, and Tahiti.

The third Asian representative at UAE 2024, Japan, will face Senegal, Belarus and Colombia in Group C. The official draw was conducted at the Mohammed Bin Rashid Library in Dubai on Friday. The Fifa Beach Soccer World Cup in Dubai will be held from February 15 to 25, 2024.

Oman will commence their campaign with a tough encounter against the world champions Brazil on February 16. The match will start at 21:00 (Oman time). In the following match, Oman players will take on Mexico on February 16 at 15:30. In the concluding match of the group stage, Oman will face former champions Portugal on February 20 and the match will kick off at 17:00.

The first two toppers from each group will move to quarterfinals which will be scheduled on February 22 while the semifinals will take place on February 24. The third and fourth play-off and the final are scheduled for February 25.

DIFFERENT SHOW

Oman team players will aim for a different show in their fifth appearance at the 12th edition of the Fifa Beach Soccer World Cup in UAE and move further from the group stage to the knockout phase for the first time ever. Oman team will be led by national experienced coach Talib Hilal for the fifth time in history after 2011 (Italy), 2015 (Portugal), 2019 (Paraguay), and 2021 (Russia) at the World Cups.

According to the Fifa website, Oman’s beach soccer team star Khalid al Oraimi stated that the draw has given us the hardest possible group with Brazil and Portugal, as well as Mexico. “Nothing is impossible in football. God willing, we will do ourselves proud at this tournament,” he said.

Oman team registered a historic win over Senegal 3-2 in their last Fifa Beach Soccer World Cup 2021 participation in Russia. The national team was drawn in Group D against Uruguay, Portugal, and Senegal. Oman was defeated by Portugal in the opening match by 5-3 before they suffered another loss against Uruguay 4-2 in the following game. Senegal had topped the group by six points with a goal advantage over Uruguay who ended as second with the same credit. Portugal and Oman were placed in the third and fourth positions respectively with three points to their credit.

Coach Talib Hilal’s men’s last appearance in official tournaments was in August as the team took part in the second CIS Games in Belarus. Oman Beach soccer team had ended their campaign in fourth place after they suffered a 7-3 defeat against Russia in the third and fourth play-off.

The last squad of the team featured the following problems: Khalid al Araimi, Munthir al Araimi, Yahya al Murikhi, Amjad al Hamdani, Abdullah al Souti, Sami al Balushi, Nouh al Zadjali, Younis al Owaisi, Mishaal al Araimi, Al Yaqdhan al Hindasi, Ahmed al Owaisi and Nouh al Battashi.