MUSCAT, SEPT 23
The Oman U-17 national football team faces a decisive clash this evening against their Qatari counterparts at 9:00 pm Muscat time, at Hamad Al Kabir Stadium, in the second round of the group stage of the ongoing Gulf Cup in Doha. In the other match of the same group, the UAE will meet Yemen at 7:00 pm at Suheim Bin Hamad Stadium.
The young Reds know that tonight’s match is a turning point in their tournament journey. Only a win can revive their hopes of competing for one of the two semifinal spots, while any further slip could severely weaken their chances. The players are determined to bounce back from their opening-round defeat to the UAE by delivering a stronger performance and securing a positive result. However, the task will not be easy against a Qatari side that opened their campaign with a valuable 1–0 victory over Yemen.
The Omani squad got into preparation mode early, holding a recovery session for the players who featured against the UAE, while the rest went through regular training. Yesterday, the team held their main training session under head coach Ahmed bin Salem Bait Said, who focused on tactical aspects and finalised the starting lineup. The team relies on a core of promising talents, led by standout goalkeeper Abdullah al Zuabi, along with Abdullah al Saadi, Saad al Maamari, Bashar al Shamsi, and Mohammed al Jabri, all expected to show their real potential.
At the same time, the UAE national team is aiming to secure its second consecutive victory when it faces Yemen, in order to guarantee an early qualification to the semifinals with six points. As for Yemen, they go into the match with no option but to win if they wish to keep their hopes of competing alive, despite the difficulty of the challenge against the Emirati Whites.
QUALIFICATION SCENARIOS
The outcomes of this second round will largely shape the qualification picture in Group A. A win for Oman over Qatar would throw them back into contention, especially if the UAE stumble against Yemen, setting up a fiery final round. A loss, however, would leave Oman with zero points, forcing them to beat Yemen and rely on other results. On the other hand, a win today for Qatar or the UAE would all but secure a semifinal spot for one of them, and if both sides win, they would guarantee qualification together.
Ahead of round two, Qatar and the UAE share the top spot with three points each and identical goal records. Oman and Yemen, meanwhile, sit at the bottom without points, making tonight’s games crucial as gateways to the semifinals.
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