Y - Issue 246 - November 27, 2012 - Y-oman.com

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game on THE WIZARD OF OZ Oman face Italy and then three crucial tournaments before World Cup D-Day in March. But can they bring home another Gulf Cup along the way Words: James Montague Photos: Abdulwahed al Hamdani 36
The Oman national team don’t have long to pick themselves up, dust themselves down and somehow forget the traumatic end to their last match. With seconds left, and with their 2014 World Cup qualifier against Japan poised at 1-1, the Blue Samurai snatched a late, undeserved, victory. The team, the fans in the Sultan Qaboos stadium and, indeed, the coach Paul Le Guen were left shocked by the result. “It will be tough,” Le Guen responded when asked about the Red Warriors’ 2014 World Cup qualification chances as he walked back to a dejected team bus. He’s right. With just three games in the group left his team will have to get something out of their trip to Australia in March, a very tough ordeal given the quality of the Socceroos’ squad and the fact that Oman’s away form has been as dire as their home form magnificent. Before then the focus is closer to home. Over the next few months Oman’s full and under 22 squad will be playing in a series of vital tournaments that could determine the success of Oman’s World Cup campaign. Le Guen has picked an all-Oman based squad of 30 players for the West Asian Championships in Kuwait between December 8 and 20. The tournament, over the past decade, has had a habit of throwing several explosive fixtures together with wider geo-political significance. In one group Iran has been paired with Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Yemen. In another Iraq, Jordan and Syria will fight it out. Oman has been drawn with Lebanon, Palestine and home side Kuwait. It is a tough group given the leaps and bounds that Palestine has made in the past year under local coach Jamal Mahmoud. Last week they recorded their first ever victory against Syria in a warm up in Jordan. In the past year they have reached the semi finals of the Pan Arab Games and lost in the final of the <strong>2012</strong> AFC Challenge Cup. 37
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Y - Issue 246 - November 27, 2012 - Y-oman.com

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