MUSCAT: Oman national football team sealed its qualification for the Fifa Arab Cup 2025 after defeating Somalia 4–1 on penalties at Jassim bin Hamad Stadium in Doha on Wednesday.
The match ended in a goalless draw before the Red Warriors held their nerve in the shoot-out to secure their spot in the tournament.
Despite the absence of goals, the match delivered plenty of tactical depth, with Oman asserting control over most phases of play while Somalia relied on compact defending and quick transitions on the counter-attack.
Oman’s dominance was evident in the numbers, enjoying 62 per cent possession compared to Somalia’s 38 per cent. The Red Warriors produced the stronger attacking display, registering 27 attempts on goal against Somalia’s 26 in a contest marked by frequent offensive exchanges.
Oman also generated 136 attacking sequences versus Somalia’s 114, highlighting the sustained pressure applied throughout the match.
Somalia received the only yellow card of the game, while Oman completed the match without any bookings.
Set-piece statistics further reflected the flow of the encounter, with Somalia earning three corner kicks compared to Oman’s single corner.
The Somali goalkeeper executed 14 goal kicks, underscoring the volume of Oman’s forward pressure.
OMAN TO MEET SAUDI IN OPENER
Oman advanced to the group stage, which will open against Saudi Arabia on December 2 at Education City Stadium, then will face Morocco on December 5 at the same venue, before concluding the group fixtures on December 8 against the winners of the Comoros–Yemen playoff at Stadium 974.
Doha will host the tournament from December 1 to 18, marking the third time Qatar stages the event following the 1998 and 2021 editions, with several 2022 World Cup venues — including Al Janoub Stadium, Al Thumama Stadium, and Education City Stadium — also selected to host matches.
Nine teams have already secured direct qualification, the top nine, based on Fifa’s April 2025 world rankings, include host Qatar, defending champions Algeria, and the seven highest-ranked teams: Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and the UAE.
On Tuesday evening, six teams competed in the Arab Cup 2025 qualification playoffs. Kuwait secured a 2–0 victory over Mauritania, placing them in Group C alongside Egypt, Jordan, and the UAE.
Syria also delivered a commanding performance, defeating South Sudan 2–0 in a match that highlighted the Syrians’ strong form. In another fixture, Palestine advanced after overcoming Libya 4–3 on penalties following a goalless draw. These results completed the line-up for Group A, which now features Qatar, Tunisia, Syria and Palestine.
With the updated standings, only Groups B and D await their final qualifiers. Group B currently consists of Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Oman, and the winner of the Comoros–Yemen playoff. Group D includes Algeria and Iraq, along with the winners of the Bahrain–Djibouti and Sudan–Lebanon ties.
These remaining matchups will determine the last teams entering the tournament’s group stage and set the stage for a complete and competitive final line-up.
The qualification playoffs will continue late on Wednesday with three decisive encounters. Bahrain take on Djibouti and Yemen meet Comoros in their respective matchups.
The final tie will bring together Lebanon and Sudan, with the winners of these contests securing the remaining spots in the Arab Cup 2025.
Oman's team reached the quarterfinals of the previous edition of the Arab Cup before bowing out with a 2–1 defeat to Tunisia. It also enters the current qualification stage as the most accomplished side among the 14 participating teams, boasting the strongest historical record in the competition.
Six national teams have won the Arab Cup across its 10 previous editions. Iraq is the most successful team in the tournament’s history, claiming the title four times in four non-consecutive editions held in 1964, 1966, 1985 and 1988.
Saudi Arabia followed with two titles, secured in back-to-back editions hosted in 1998 and 2002.
Meanwhile, Tunisia, Egypt, Morocco and Algeria have each won the trophy once. Tunisia captured the inaugural edition hosted by Lebanon in 1963, while Egypt claimed the 1992 title held in Syria. Morocco lifted the trophy in the 2012 edition hosted by Saudi Arabia, whereas Algeria won the most recent tournament staged in Qatar in 2021.
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
