MUSCAT: Oman’s national under-17 football team began their campaign at the 13th West Asian Football Federation (WAFF) U17 Championship with a 3-1 defeat against hosts Jordan at Aqaba Stadium on Sunday evening.
The young Red Warriors made a promising start and went ahead after only nine minutes through captain Bashar al Shamsi, giving Oman an early advantage in their opening Group B encounter.
Jordan responded as the first half progressed, with Faisal al Hourani restoring parity in the 30th minute. The hosts were then reduced to 10 players five minutes later when Obada al Rayahneh received a second yellow card, leaving Jordan a man down for the remainder of the contest. The teams went into the interval level at 1-1.
Despite their numerical disadvantage, Jordan managed to turn the match in their favour after the break. Al Hourani struck again in the 72nd minute to put the hosts ahead before Jameel al Issa added a third in the 81st minute, securing all three points for Jordan.
The defeat leaves Oman needing a positive response in their second and final group-stage fixture against the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday. The match will kick off at 6 pm Jordan time, corresponding to 7 pm Oman time, at Aqaba Stadium.
With only three teams in Group B, the UAE received a bye in the opening round. Jordan will complete their group campaign against the UAE on Thursday, October 1. The top two teams from each group advance to the semifinals, making Oman’s meeting with the UAE particularly important to their hopes of progressing to the knockout stage.
Group A consists of Yemen, Lebanon, Syria and Palestine. The opening matches saw Yemen defeat Palestine 2-0, while Lebanon registered a 4-0 victory over Syria. The group-stage competition continues before the leading two sides from each section move into the semifinals.
The tournament, which runs in Aqaba until October 5, forms an important part of Oman’s preparation programme under national head coach Ahmed bin Salim Bait Said, giving the squad competitive match experience ahead of their next continental assignment.
Oman will turn their attention after the regional competition to the AFC U17 Asian Cup Uzbekistan 2027 Qualifiers. The Sultanate of Oman will host Group G in Salalah from November 8 to 20, with the young Red Warriors drawn alongside Kuwait, Bahrain, Lebanon and Brunei Darussalam.
Tuesday’s meeting with the UAE now offers Oman an immediate opportunity to recover from the opening defeat and keep their semifinal ambitions alive.
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