Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Muscat: Coach Paul Le Guen has urged Oman to signal their intentions for the AFC Asian Cup finals in Australia by extending their unbeaten qualification record against 2015 hopefuls Jordan on Friday. Oman secured a third appearance at the AFC Asian Cup finals from Group A with two games to spare following their appearance in the final round of qualifiers for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
But having seen their qualification hopes for Brazil ended by Jordan, who know victory at Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex on Friday will move them within touching distance of securing their own qualification, Le Guen (pictured) is looking for his side to lay down a marker ahead of the March 26 draw in Sydney.
“I am proud that we qualified for the AFC Asian Cup early. It is important that we have achieved that. We were very serious in each game and we worked hard and we are where we want. We played well in all the games and we didn’t concede any goals,” said the Frenchman, who was appointed Oman coach in 2011 having led Cameroon to the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.
“I am proud of that achievement, but we are not finished yet. Our aim is to finish top of the group and continue to go further as this is not enough for us. We want to prove that this is only the first step and we want to do well in Australia.
“I know some of the other teams have more power, but we have a few months so improve and to gel together as we have new young players.”
Jordan are currently five points adrift of Oman, but Hossam Hassan's side have three games remaining and three points on Friday would leave the Jordanians needing only a point against Singapore at the start of February to seal qualification.
The game had been delayed due to Jordan’s participation in the play-offs for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, which they eventually lost to Uruguay, after pipping Oman to third place in Group B of the qualifiers following a 1-0 win over Le Guen’s side in Amman on the final Matchday in June.
“It was important for us to confirm our qualification for the Asian Cup following the World Cup qualifiers. This is a big satisfaction for us to qualify for the Asian Cup after four games which is something that has never been done in Oman. We are proud of this but it is not finished yet,” said Le Guen.
“It is too early to think about the draw. First we want to finish this stage well, then we will see after that. The players have the possibility to improve and with the chance to play at international level we are heading in the right direction. We qualified because some young players have improved and they now need to go on. We also want to finish top of the group to improve our ranking.”
Oman stepped up their preparations for the visit of Jordan by sharing a goalless draw with Finland on Friday with Le Guen having brought his squad together in the middle of January.
Le Guen, though, will be without current captain Hassan Al Gheilani against Jordan due to suspension after the midfielder picked up a second yellow card of the qualifiers in November’s 1-0 win over Syria which secured qualification.
Al Gheilani was handed the captain’s armband after regular skipper Ali Al Habsi underwent shoulder surgery last year.
Goalkeeper Al Habsi has since returned to action with Wigan Athletic, but due to club commitments with the English side, Faiyz Al Rusheidi is set to keep his place in the side for the visit of Jordan.
The Al Suwaiq custodian has performed admirably in Al Habsi’s absence, conceding just once in five games in the recent qualifiers for the 2014 FIFA World Cup and 2015 AFC Asian Cup.
But with that goal coming in Oman’s defeat in Amman which ended their FIFA World Cup hopes, Al Rusheidi is hoping to exact a measure of revenge on Friday.
“The game against Jordan is very important. We have a big rivalry with them and we still want to take all three points,” said Al Rusheidi, who also has one eye on Al Suwaiq’s AFC Champions League play-off with Kuwait’s Al Qadsia at the start of February.
“Jordan beat us 1-0 in the final round of World Cup qualifying, which meant they went on to face Uzbekistan in the fifth round play-off instead of us, and that still hurts.
“And even though we’ve already qualified for the Asian Cup in Australia, we’re not thinking about that now. But we haven’t forgotten that World Cup match.
“I’m very happy to play for the national team. I was very confident that I could successfully replace Ali Al Habsi when he was ruled out of the team with injury and so far my performances in the 2015 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers have been very satisfactory. I want to prove to everyone my ability and, in the future, bechosen to be Oman’s number one.”