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Oman face Qatar in crunch match

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Changzhou, China: Oman head coach Hamad al Azzani says that Oman need nothing better than a win against regional rivals Qatar on Friday in the AFC U-23 Championship 2018. The match kicks off at 15.30 Oman Time.


The side, however will miss Jameel al Yahmadi and Ibrahim al Sawwafi — two attacking midfielders.


Al Azzani is expected to start with Ahmed al Kaabi or Al Muhtasim al Muhajiri as a replacement for Al Suwafi, while Bazher al Aghbari will start on the right.


Meanwhile, talismanic midfielder Akram Afif said that Qatar remain focused on the task in hand despite a morale boosting 1-0 win over Uzbekistan on the opening


day of the AFC U-23 Championship 2018.


A well worked Almoez Ali strike gave Qatar a perfect start to their Group A campaign, but with a crunch game to come against regional rivals Oman on Friday, Afif is adamant that his side should not get carried away by their early success.


“Our team really did well, and it was important to win that game,” explained the 21-year-old who plays in Belgium for Eupen.


“Yes, we won the game and got the three points, but that doesn’t mean that we have won (the tournament). It’s not enough, and right now we are only looking ahead to playing


Oman.”


With Qatar currently occupying second spot, China PR lead the way at the top the group thanks to their comfortable 3-0 win over Oman, a margin of victory that came as no surprise to Afif.


“China are a very good team,” he said whilst recalling the penalty he scored against the East Asians at the 2014 AFC U-19 Championship in Myanmar.


“No one particular player stands out. They are all very good and they help each other out, and I think they will go far in this tournament.”


Qatar will conclude their group stage matches against China at the Changzhou Olympic Sports Centre on Monday.


Oman squad: 1-Ibrahim al Mukhaini (GK), 2-Mataz Saleh (MF), 3-Majid al Saadi (DF), 5-Thani al Rushaidi (DF), 6-Abdullah Fawaz (MF), 7-Al Mandhar al Alawi (FW), 11-Muhsen al Ghassani (FW), 17-Samir al Alawi (DF), 19-Zahir al Aghbari (FW), 21-Abdulaziz al Gheilani (DF), 23-Ibrahim Al Sawwafi, 8-Jameel al Yahmadi, 9-Marwan Awlad Wadi, 15-Ahmed al Kaabi. Manager: Hamad Khalifa Hamed al Azzani


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