MUSCAT: The Oman U-23 Olympic football team concluded their campaign at the four - nation international friendly tournament in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan with a 2-0 defeat to Syria in the final round on Wednesday. Despite the loss, Oman secured second place in the standings with four points while Syria were crowned champions of the competition with an unbeaten run, finishing with seven points from two victories against Kyrgyzstan and Oman beside a draw with Bahrain.
Syria entered the match needing a win to clinch the top spot and delivered a composed performance, scoring twice and maintaining a strong defensive line. The Syrian team demonstrated superior organization and capitalised on key moments to finish the first half by 1-0. In the deciding half, Syria sealed their win by adding another goal to end the match by 2-0.
This was Oman’s first defeat in the tournament, following a solid 1-0 victory over Bahrain in their opening match and a 1-1 draw with hosts Kyrgyzstan in the second game. In the earlier fixture on Wednesday, Kyrgyzstan secured their first win of the event with a 1-0 triumph over Bahrain, who ended the tournament in fourth place with one point only.
The tournament, hosted at Dostuk Arena and Dolen Omurzakov Stadium in Bishkek, served as a critical preparatory platform for all four teams as they are gearing up for upcoming international and continental assignments. For Oman, the matches provided valuable insight and exposure ahead of their main participation in the AFC U-23 Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2026 Qualifiers, set to take place from September 1 to 9 in Cambodia. Oman are grouped in Group F for the AFC qualifiers alongside Iraq, Pakistan, and hosts Cambodia. Their campaign will begin on September 3 against Cambodia, followed by matches against Iraq and Pakistan.
Following the Bishkek tournament, Oman will return home to participate in another key preparation event as a domestic four-team tournament will begin in Salalah and it is scheduled from Sunday and will run until August 3, featuring top Omani clubs including Seeb, Al Shabab, Al Nahdha, Al Nasr and Dhofar.
Under the guidance of head coach Badar al Maimani, Oman used the friendly tournament to rotate a squad of 24 players, blending experience with youth. The warm up events will highlight the team’s potential, resilience, and areas for tactical refinement. With the qualifiers fast approaching, the coaching staff is expected to build upon the performances in Bishkek and Salalah event to fine-tune the squad’s readiness.
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