MUSCAT: Oman’s head coach, Rasheed Jaber, expressed his satisfaction with the team's hard-fought victory over Palestine as he described the result as a significant turning point in the Red Warriors' AFC Asian Qualifiers campaign. The narrow 1-0 win secured at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex on Thursday night kept Oman’s hopes alive in Group B of the AFC Asian Qualifiers - Road to 26 competitions.
“The objective was clear before the match to secure the three points and keep our campaign alive,” coach Rasheed said during the post-match press conference. “The players were focused, disciplined and delivered a strong performance,” he said.
The decisive moment came in the 83rd minute when Mohsin al Ghassani, named the best player of the match, found the back of the net, sending the home crowd into celebration. This victory allowed Oman to bounce back after disappointing defeats in the previous rounds of the qualifiers.
Reflecting on the match, Rasheed acknowledged areas for improvement but emphasised the importance of the result. “While we missed several scoring opportunities, the team stayed resilient and achieved the primary goal. Palestine were not an easy opponent, they have performed well throughout the qualifiers. However, the nature of this match did not work in their favour. Securing the three points is crucial as it strengthens our chances moving forward.”
Looking ahead, Rasheed shifted his focus to Oman’s upcoming clash against Iraq on Tuesday. “The Palestine chapter is closed. Now, our full attention is on Iraq. Another positive result will further boost our position in the group standings.”
Star forward Mohsin al Ghassani, whose late strike secured the victory, echoed his coach’s optimism. “We were thrilled with this result. These three points have reignited our campaign and our ambitions in the qualifiers. Our focus now is entirely on the next match against Iraq. I urge our fans to come out in large numbers to support us. Their presence will be instrumental in helping us achieve our goals in this critical game,” he said.
Oman’s victory over Palestine has rekindled excitement and anticipation among fans as the team gears up for the next hurdle in their journey to the 2026 Fifa World Cup. All eyes now turn to Tuesday’s crucial encounter where the Red Warriors will aim to maintain their momentum and solidify their place in the competition.
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