Friendly rivals Oman held off a highly ambitious Qatar to a goalless draw in the opening Group A fixture of the fourth playoff round of the AFC qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup 2026, played at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium in Doha on Wednesday.
Qatar’s indifferent form continued, as the Maroons once again lacked both tenacity and precision in front of their home crowd. With a point each, both sides now turn their attention to the UAE, with Oman facing them first on link slot thailand Sunday and Qatar meeting them three days later.
Only the group winner will earn automatic qualification for the FIFA World Cup 2026, to be co-hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
Lopetegui: “We Created Enough, But Couldn’t Convert”
At the post-match press conference, Qatar coach Julen Lopetegui acknowledged his team’s shortcomings while crediting Oman’s defensive discipline.
We performed well throughout against a stubborn team that defended deep and closed spaces. Despite that, we created several chances but couldn’t convert.
Lopetegui insisted his starting XI was the best available. “Given the injuries, the lineup was ideal. The players gave their best. When you have the chances but fail to take them, you must be humble and compete hard. On days when you can’t win, you must at least avoid defeat. Today we had the right mentality. We have one point and half the competition still ahead. Now it’s about recovery and preparing for the next challenge.”
When asked whether Qatar were too conservative, he replied: “We have to analyse how we attack and how we defend. I think the team showed maturity. We must focus on what we did well, not on what we missed.”
Despite the result, Lopetegui remained optimistic. “We’ll continue to pursue our dream of qualifying for the World Cup. This draw hasn’t added pressure. I trust my players. We have a big challenge ahead, but also a big dream — and we must keep chasing it.”
Queiroz: “A Fair Result, My Players Deserve Respect”
Oman’s seasoned coach Carlos Queiroz was equally satisfied with the outcome, calling the draw “the best result for both teams.”
We performed well and managed to stop Qatar’s attacks, which we expected since they were at home. We played with high spirit, created a few chances ourselves, but couldn’t score. A loss today would have hurt our qualification hopes, so a draw is a fair and valuable result.
Queiroz praised his players’ discipline and their ability to execute the plan. “We knew Qatar would start strong — that’s their style. We built our strategy to contain them, frustrate them, and then grow into the game. Once we did that, our players began to control possession and create chances.”
He added warmly: “My boys deserve respect. They made Oman proud. I’m sure even Qatar’s fans will appreciate the quality of play today. It was a great football contest.”
Missed Chances Define The Night
Both sides created openings but lacked the final touch. Boualem Khoukhi missed an early chance in the 13th minute, prompting visible frustration from Lopetegui on the sidelines. Qatar’s Sultan Al Brake and Edmílson Junior threatened early but found no success.
At the other end, Oman’s Issam Al Sabhi tested Qatar debutant goalkeeper Mahmud Abunada in the 27th minute with a powerful left-footed drive that was well saved.
Qatar came close six minutes later when Mohammad Al Mannai slipped a clever ball to Akram Afif, but Oman’s Thani Al Rushaidi reacted smartly to block. Oman nearly broke the deadlock just before half-time when Nasser Al Rawahi’s header from a corner sailed narrowly over the bar.
Second-Half Surge But No Finish
Afif looked dangerous after the break, weaving through defenders before sending his shot just wide of the right post. In the 69th minute, Oman almost capitalised on a Qatar defensive mix-up — Abunada rushed off his line to clear a cross but left his goal open, only for Abdullah Fawaz to fire wide from distance.
Substitute Almoez Ali, who replaced Ahmed Al Ganehi in the 57th minute, couldn’t inspire a breakthrough as both teams ultimately settled for a share of the spoils.
Looking Ahead
With one point each, both Qatar and Oman remain in contention, though improvements in finishing will be crucial as they prepare to face the UAE. For Qatar, it’s about recovering confidence; for Oman, maintaining their disciplined defensive edge may be key to keeping their World Cup dream alive.
