Esports team falls to Saudi Arabia in semifinal

The Oman national esports team will compete for the bronze medal after losing to Saudi Arabia in the semifinals with a 3–0. Oman will play for third place against the loser of the Jordan vs Bahrain match in the “Rocket League” competition at the 3rd Asian Youth Games hosted by the Kingdom of Bahrain. The event runs from October 22 to 31, featuring more than 5,000 athletes representing 45 Asian National Olympic Committees, competing across 24 sports, 31 categories, and 253 events held at key venues including Isa Sports City, Khalifa Sports City, Bahrain International Exhibition Centre, Endurance Village, and SAMA Bay.

The semifinal match against Saudi Arabia, the reigning world champions, was highly competitive and intense. Oman showed great spirit and determination, but Saudi Arabia capitalised on their experience and strong tactical coordination to secure a 3–0 victory and advance to the final. Despite the loss, Oman delivered an impressive campaign, showcasing significant progress in esports and a promising future for the sport in the Sultanate of Oman.

Oman’s journey in the preliminary round included a 2–0 win over Indonesia, a 1–2 loss to Jordan, a 2–0 win over Kazakhstan, a 2–0 win over Kyrgyzstan, a 0–3 loss to Saudi Arabia, and two key victories over the UAE (2–0) and Bahrain (2–1).

The event runs from October 22 to 31, featuring more than 5,000 athletes representing 45 Asian National Olympic Committees.

QUARTERFINAL VICTORY

Oman defeated the UAE 2–0 in the quarterfinals after a highly disciplined performance, demonstrating excellent team chemistry, tactical organisation, and fast offensive and defensive transitions. The win boosted Oman’s confidence ahead of the semifinals and strengthened the team’s ambition to reach the podium.

“REACHING THE SEMIFINAL IS AN ACHIEVEMENT”

Team Manager Hamad bin Yaquob al Jahwari expressed satisfaction with the team’s performance despite the semifinal loss:

"Facing the world champions was a tough task, but our players performed at a high level. Reaching the semifinals is a major achievement and a result of the collective efforts of the technical and administrative staff and the players who represented Oman in the best possible way."

He added that the team will go into the third-place playoff with determination to secure the bronze medal and make the Omani fans proud, expressing appreciation to the Oman Olympic Committee for its support.

Oman will play for third place against the loser of the Jordan vs Bahrain match.

“THE TARGET NOW IS THE PODIUM”

Head Coach Abdullah bin Nasser al Ateeqi said that the loss is not the end of the road, expressing optimism ahead of the third-place match.

He praised the players for their strong performances throughout the preliminary round, quarterfinals, and semifinals, stressing that the team must remain fully focused to win the bronze medal.

Al Ateeqi explained that defensive speed and reaction time were the main weaknesses against Saudi Arabia, but expressed pride in the team’s progress and promised a strong performance in the bronze medal match. He thanked the Oman Olympic Committee and the administrative mission for their continued support.