(MENAFN – Muscat Daily) Oman squandered a 2-0 lead against Qatar to share the spoils in its Asian Cup warm-up match in Canberra Australia on Wednesday.
Paul Le Guen’s Red Warriors got off to a solid start as they struck as early as in the 11th minute of the match through striker Abdulaziz al Miqbali.
Looking compact and composed Oman doubled the advantage when defender Jaber al Owaisi found the net in the 27th minute.
With a two-goal lead Oman appeared on course to avenge its semifinal loss against the 2014 Gulf Cup champion but stumbled to hold its citadel intact in the post-interval session.
Qatar came back strongly and reduced the lead through Meshal Abdullah in the 54th minute and three minutes later he again struck to level the scores.
Le Guen’s men will next face China in another friendly on January 4.
Prior to the team’s departure to Australia Le Guen had told Muscat Daily that he will try out all his 23 players against China splitting the outing into two separate practice games.
Oman which has qualified for the third time at the Asian Cup finals is pooled in a tough Group A that comprises hosts Australia South Korea and Kuwait.
Oman begins its campaign against South Korea at the Canberra Stadium on January 10 faces Australia on January 13 and takes on Kuwait on January 17.
Bahrain 4 Saudi Arabia 1
Geelong Australia – Bahrain gave itself a timely confidence boost prior to the Asian Cup after recording a resounding 4-1 victory over three-time tournament winner Saudi Arabia on Tuesday.
A brace from striker Ismail Abdul Latif at the Simmonds Stadium in Geelong helped restore some much-needed confidence in the Bahrain camp following a disappointing Gulf Cup in Riyadh Saudi Arabia in November.
Fouzi Aaish opened Bahrain’s account with a 20th-minute penalty after the Green Falcons’ captain Hassan Fallatah brought down Abdul Latif.
Sami al Hussaini extended Bahrain’s lead six minutes later before Naif Hazazi put Saudi Arabia back in contention with a strike from close range shortly after half-time.
The Saudi Arabian resurgence was however to be short-lived Abdul Latif duly converting a penalty on 58 minutes and then notching his second with ten minutes of the game remaining.
UAE 1 Jordan 0
Gold Coast Australia – UAE enjoyed a morale-boosting 1-0 win over fellow Asian Cup hopeful Jordan on Tuesday as both sides continued their preparations for a continental showdown.
In a tightly-contested affair in Gold Coast UAE star Ahmed Khalil had his first-half penalty expertly saved by goalkeeper Amer Shafi before Haboush Saleh stepped up in the 91st minute to rifle home a shot after the Jordanians failed to clear a corner.
The game was UAE’s first since it finished third at the Gulf Cup thanks to a 1-0 win over Oman. At the Asian Cup UAE has been drawn in Group C where it will face Qatar Bahrain and Iran.
Jordan meanwhile is now winless in nine games a source of concern for head coach Ray Wilkins ahead of the team’s Asian Cup Group D opener against Iraq on January 12 in Brisbane.