Oman U23 team crowned WAFF champions

MUSCAT, MARCH 26

The Oman Olympic (U-23) national team was crowned champions of the sixth edition of the West Asian Football Federation (WAFF) U23 Championship after a well-deserved 3-1 victory over Jordan in the final at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Bausher on Tuesday.

This marks Oman’s first-ever title in the WAFF U23 Championship and a historic achievement for national head coach Badr al Maimani, who took charge of the team just 10 days before the tournament kicked off.

The match began at a fast pace, with the Jordanian team dominating the early proceedings through an aggressive attacking strategy and multiple attempts to threaten the Omani goal. In response, the Omani side relied on quick counterattacks. Despite both teams exchanging chances, the first half lacked any real danger for the most part.

Oman’s most notable chance in the first half came in the 24th minute, when Osama al Mahrouqi broke down the right flank and delivered a cross that bypassed the Jordanian defence but was poorly finished by Luqman al Jadeedi, who shot wide. Jordan maintained pressure, but Oman’s well-organised defence, led by goalkeeper Mazin al Harrasi, thwarted all attempts.

In the 36th minute, Sultan al Marzuq sent a powerful shot as a warning sign. Minutes later, in the 43rd minute, he opened the scoring for Oman with a superb strike from outside the box, skillfully evading the Jordanian defenders and sending the ball past the keeper into the right corner. The first half ended with Oman leading 1-0.

Jordan came out with clear attacking intent in the second half, creating several chances — most notably a header by Ayham al Samarnah that narrowly missed the left post. Omani goalkeeper Mazin al Harrasi continued to shine, stopping a dangerous one-on-one opportunity from Saif Darwish in the 52nd minute.

Oman nearly doubled their lead in the 60th minute after a Jordanian goalkeeper error, but defender Jaafar al Samarnah cleared the ball off the line. Jordan finally equalised in the 74th minute through Badr Kalboona, who converted a corner with a well-placed header, levelling the match at 1-1.

Tactical Substitutions

Following the equaliser, Oman’s coach made tactical substitutions, bringing on Abdulaziz al Shaqsi and Abdulalim al Rawahi for Nasser al Saqri and Ali al Balushi. The changes reignited Oman’s attacking momentum, culminating in a stunning overhead kick goal by Turki Bait Rabia in the 86th minute, capitalising on confusion in the Jordanian defence following a double bicycle kick delivered by Ahad al Mashaikhi.

In stoppage time, specifically the 93rd minute, Ahad al Mashaikhi sealed the victory with a brilliant free-kick goal, confirming Oman’s superiority and their historic championship win.

Oman U23 player Mohammed Bait Subeea expressed immense joy following the victory, dedicating the win to Omani fans who supported the team throughout the tournament.

In a post-match statement, he said: “We congratulate the Omani public on this achievement. Many may not have expected this level of performance, but as players and technical staff, we remained united from the start. We didn’t use the circumstances as an excuse but rather as motivation to fight until the end.”

He added, “The tournament was held on our home soil and in front of our fans. We had determination until the final whistle. The players fulfilled their roles on and off the field, and today we are reaping the rewards of our commitment and sacrifices.”

Bait Subeea praised the coaching staff for their confidence in the players despite the short preparation time.

The trophy ceremony was overseen by Shaikh Mohsin al Masroori, a member of the WAFF Executive Committee; Qutaiba al Ghailani, a board member of the Oman Football Association; and Mustafa al Hosni, the tournament director. They awarded Oman’s players with gold medals and the championship trophy, while Jordan’s players received silver medals as runners-up.

Individual awards were also presented. Sultan al Marzuq was named best player of the tournament, goalkeeper Mazin al Harrasi won best goalkeeper award and Jordan’s Bakr Kalboona claimed the top-scorer award. The referees of the final match were also honoured for their efforts.

In the final rankings, Syria claimed third place, followed by Bahrain in fourth, Saudi Arabia in fifth, Kuwait sixth, UAE seventh and Lebanon eighth. In the final round of matches, Syria defeated Bahrain 1-0, Saudi Arabia beat Kuwait 2-0, and the UAE triumphed over Lebanon 3-0.

PICS BY Abdulwahid Al Hamadani