Oman prepared and confident for Qatar clash, says coach Queiroz

Oman coach Carlos Queiroz speaks at a press conference at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium in Doha. PICTURE: Noushad Thekkayil

Oman coach Carlos Queiroz acknowledged the tough test awaiting his side against hosts Qatar at the fourth round of the Asian Qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World, but said his players are ready and confident.

Oman will take on Qatar at Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium Wednesday in their Group A opener, with the UAE completing the three-team group. Only the group winner secure a direct berth in the next phase, while the runner-up will move into a two-legged play-off for a final shot at qualification.

“We’re excited to begin our campaign against Qatar,” said Queiroz at the pre-match press conference Tuesday. “The team has prepared well and we believe in our ability to get a positive result to kick off our journey.”

In the past, the 72-year-old has taken South Africa, Portugal and Iran twice into the World cup but doing so with Oman would be his biggest achievement yet. Wednesday’s match will be Queiroz’s first against Qatar since he was sacked by the in the lead-up to last Asian Cup, a tournament won by the Portuguese coach’s former team under his replacement, Marquez Lopez.

“In my opinion, if I was still the head coach, Qatar would not have been playing tomorrow,” said Queiroz with a smile. “Qatar would have already qualified for the World Cup.”

The veteran coach expressed his delight at returning to Qatar. “It’s always a pleasure to be back in Qatar after having spent a wonderful time here. We hope to play at a level that reflects the aspirations of our fans in Oman.”

Queiroz acknowledged the pressure that comes with high-stakes qualifiers but said his players are ready to rise to the occasion. “Pressure is part of football, you take risks, you gamble at times. But I have full trust in my players and their ability to stay focused and avoid costly mistakes in such an important match.”

Meanwhile, veteran Omani defender Ali al-Busaidi expressed his team’s determination to fight for qualification. “We’re fully prepared for this stage. We understand the responsibility on our shoulders and are committed to doing everything we can to qualify for the World Cup,” he said.

Al-Busaidi praised the Omani supporters for their unwavering backing and vowed to deliver a performance they can be proud of. “Our fans have always stood by us. We’ll give everything on the pitch to make them proud in these qualifiers. The level among the three teams is close. Every match will be a battle,” he said.

Oman are seeking a maiden FIFA World Cup appearance. Six teams have already qualified from Asia – Japan, Iran, South Korea and Australia as well as the two debutants, Uzbekistan and Jordan.