MUSCAT, OCT 29
Oman under-15 national football team recorded two victories from their opening three matches in the Tier D placement stage of the Fifa U-15 World Cup and Festival 2026 in Baku, Azerbaijan.
The Young Reds began the second phase with an impressive 3-0 victory over Myanmar in the round of 32 on Wednesday, before suffering a 2-0 defeat against the Democratic Republic of the Congo later the same day. They returned to winning ways on Thursday with a commanding 4-0 triumph over Saudi Arabia in their third placement match.
Oman entered Tier D after finishing fourth in Group B with seven points from five matches. The team, led by national head coach Nasser al Mayahi, had registered two wins, one draw and two defeats during the qualification stage.
In their first placement match against Myanmar, Oman produced an assured performance to claim a three-goal victory and advance to the next stage. The result also marked their second clean sheet of the tournament, following the 4-0 win over Suriname in the group-stage opener.
The victory earned Oman a round-of-16 meeting with DR Congo later on Wednesday. The Young Reds were unable to maintain their winning momentum, however, as the African side secured a 2-0 victory and progressed along the higher placement pathway.
Under the tournament’s distinctive format, defeat does not end a team’s campaign. Instead, every participating side continues playing against opponents with similar results to determine its final position within its assigned tier.
STRONG RESPONSE AGAINST SAUDI
Oman therefore returned to action on Thursday against Saudi Arabia and responded strongly to the setback against DR Congo. Al Mayahi’s side scored four unanswered goals to register their second victory in three Tier D matches and their fourth win of the tournament.
The result represented another encouraging performance from Oman’s young players, who demonstrated their ability to recover quickly despite the demanding schedule. The victory also delivered a second clean sheet in the placement stage, with Oman scoring seven goals and conceding only two across their first three matches of the second phase.
Including their five qualification-stage fixtures, Oman have now played eight matches in Baku, recording four victories, one draw and three defeats. They have scored 20 goals and conceded 15 during their maiden appearance at the global under-15 competition.
Oman began their campaign by defeating Suriname 4-0 before losing 3-1 to Malawi and 5-1 to Argentina. They then defeated Chinese Taipei 4-2 and concluded the group stage with a spirited 3-3 draw against Algeria, becoming the first side in the tournament to score against the Group B winners.
The Young Reds will next face Cabo Verde in their fourth Tier D placement fixture before playing one final match to determine their overall position.
The inaugural tournament is played in an eight-a-side format, with matches consisting of two 20-minute halves on reduced-size pitches. Its structure ensures that every participating team receives extensive international exposure and continues playing until the final day of the competition.
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