MUSCAT: Oman’s national under-20 football team will begin their AFC U20 Asian Cup China 2027 Qualifiers campaign on Monday when they take on hosts Qatar at Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium in Doha.
Kick-off is scheduled for 8 pm Oman time as the young Red Warriors look for a positive start in Group E, which also includes Saudi Arabia and Hong Kong, China.
Head coach Hamad al Azzani and his squad arrived in Doha on Saturday and held their first training session later in the evening as preparations entered their final stage ahead of the opening fixture. The session focused on sharpening the players’ readiness and helping the squad settle into match conditions following their arrival in the Qatari capital.
The Qatar encounter will be an important opening test for Oman, with points at a premium in a compact group where every result could prove decisive in the race for qualification.
Oman will face Saudi Arabia in their second match on Thursday, September 3, before concluding their group campaign against Hong Kong, China, on Sunday, September 6.
The qualifiers are being played under the AFC’s new competition format, with 32 teams divided into eight groups of four. The eight group winners and the seven best runners-up will qualify for the AFC U20 Asian Cup China 2027 Finals, joining hosts China.
Al Azzani has named a 23-player squad for the Doha campaign following months of preparation that included domestic and overseas training camps as well as a series of international friendly matches.
The final squad comprises Mudathir al Batrani, Al Hassan al Qasimi, Ali al Alawi, Abdulrahman al Busaidi, Khalil Bait Sultan, Ahmed al Fahdi, Fahad Bait Rabia, Abdulmunim al Habsi, Muath al Hinai, Abdullah al Saadi, Al Mutasim al Maqbali, Ibrahim al Shamsi, Yazan al Khaldi, Ziyad al Faraji, Abdullah al Oraimi, Mohammed al Sameen, Abdulaziz al Manwari, Sulaiman al Kharousi, Muzn al Hinai, Hassan al Hinai, Husam al Naabi, Al Waleed al Buraidi and Esam al Mukhaini.
The current squad represents the final selection from a larger group assessed by the coaching staff throughout a lengthy preparation programme. Oman’s most recent camp included two friendly matches against Syria, with the first ending in a 1-1 draw before Syria won the second 2-1.
Qatar, meanwhile, will enter the competition on home soil with their own 23-player squad. The hosts have also undergone an extensive preparation programme, including an overseas camp in Slovenia, where they played several friendly matches.
With qualification potentially decided by fine margins, Oman will be aiming to begin strongly against the hosts before turning their attention to the equally demanding encounters against Saudi Arabia and Hong Kong, China.
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