Latest news with #RedWarriors'
Observer
09-07-2025
- Sport
- Observer
Oman conclude training camp with three wins
MUSCAT: The Oman national men's volleyball team concluded its preparations for the West Asia Championship, which will be hosted in the Bahraini capital, Manama, from July 17 to 27, with positive results from its joint training camp with the Saudi national team. The 'Red Warriors' played four friendly matches against Saudi Arabia, securing three wins and suffering one loss in what proved to be a fruitful experience marked by steadily improving performance and growing team cohesion. The team capped off the series with a 3-1 victory in the fourth match, with set scores of (25–19, 22–25, 27–25, 25–22), confirming their technical and physical readiness ahead of the official competition. The team had earlier won the first and third matches by identical 3-2 scorelines and lost the second match 1-3 in a closely contested and balanced game. Iranian head coach Mohammad Vakili emphasised that the camp was a crucial preparatory phase. In his statement, he said the objective of these matches was not just to win but to focus on tactical and physical aspects, test team formations, and correct technical mistakes. He added that the team greatly benefited from facing a strong opponent like Saudi Arabia, which highlighted Oman's strengths such as blocking and serving while also exposing areas needing improvement, like counterattacks and defensive coordination. Oman played four friendly matches against Saudi Arabia, securing three wins and suffering one loss Regarding the loss in the second match, Vakili explained that the team was not at its best and made several errors in serving and reception. However, addressing these shortcomings in the third match helped the team get back on the winning track. He also noted that the team has now entered the final stage of preparations and will conclude its camp at the Buraimi Sports Complex on Friday. Some changes will be made to the starting lineup based on player performances during the camp. Team star Saud al Maamari expressed his satisfaction with the team's performance during the camp, noting that the four matches were beneficial both technically and mentally. He stated, We approached each game as if it were an official match and improved our organisation from one game to the next, particularly in spiking and defensive coordination. Our goal is to be in peak form before the tournament begins. Younis al Amri, another national team player, added, The performance we delivered during the recent training camp shows that the team is on the right track toward full readiness for the West Asia Championship. The high spirit with which we played against Saudi Arabia and the level we've reached reflect the hard work and dedication of both the coaching staff and the players. Oman will begin its West Asia Championship campaign on Saturday, July 19 THREE TOUGH TESTS IN THE GTOUP STAGE Oman will begin its West Asia Championship campaign on Saturday, July 19, facing Kuwait at 4:00 pm Muscat time. The second match will be against Qatar on Sunday, July 20, at 6:00 pm a highly anticipated clash given both teams' strong offensive capabilities. The team will wrap up the first round on Monday, July 21, with a challenging match against Saudi Arabia at 4:00 pm. All matches will take place at the Isa bin Rashid Hall in Manama. The squad selected for the West Asia Championship consists of 14 players carefully chosen by the technical staff, led by head coach Mohammad Vakili. The team includes: Saud al Maamari, Mohammed al Muqbali, Abdullah al Muqbali, Abdullah al Shibli, Ismail al Haidi, Khamis al Jabri, Mahmoud al Saadi, Adam al Juradi, Adam al Jalboobi, Hamad al Maamari, Younis al Amri, Yousuf al Shukaili, Ahmed al Toobi, and Abdulbasit al Balushi.
Observer
03-07-2025
- Sport
- Observer
Oman Hockey begins campaign at Cairo
MUSCAT, JULY 3 The Oman national hockey team kicks off its participation in the International Tri-Nation Friendly Tournament on Saturday, hosted by Egypt from July 4 to 10. The tournament features three participating nations: Egypt, Croatia, and Oman, and follows a round robin format with home and away matches. The 'Red Warriors' of Oman will play four friendly matches, two against each of the Egyptian and Croatian teams. All games are scheduled to take place at the Suez Canal Authority's hockey stadium. Eighteen players were carefully selected for this campaign following a domestic training camp held at the Rustaq Sports Complex. The squad includes: Khalid al Shaibi, Ibrahim al Farsi, Ahmed al Farsi, Osama bin Ramadan Bait Barzhan, Talal bin Mohammed Bait Hazim, Mohammed al Noufli, Amir al Maashari, Shafi al Shatari, Ayman bin Faraj Madid, Hazza al Balushi, Fahad al Lawati, Faisal bin Awad al Lawan, Al Khader al Noufli, Rashid bin Salem al Fazari, Abdulaziz bin Dawood al Hosani, Osama bin Khamis Bait Fada', and Maitham bin Saif al Wahaibi. The delegation is headed by Abdulrahman al Balushi, a board member of the Oman Hockey Association. The technical and administrative team includes: Mohammed al Gharabi (National Teams Supervisor), Mohammed Bait Jandal (Head Coach), Salah al Saadi (Assistant Coach), and Wajdi Bait Mabrouk (Technical Data Analyst). Head coach Mohammed Bait Jandal emphasised that preparations were intensive, covering technical, physical, and tactical aspects. He explained that the training camp focused on improving play in the final third of the field, enhancing quick offensive transitions, and applying high pressure tactics. The player selection was based on strict criteria including tactical discipline, positional versatility, responsiveness to strategies, and performance in the domestic league. Bait Jandal added "We approach this tournament with a winning mentality. Our main goal is to build a clear identity for the national team and enhance technical readiness ahead of upcoming challenges, especially the Asia Cup scheduled for August in India". Mohammed al Gharabi, National Teams Supervisor, noted that the tournament is part of a strategic plan developed by the selection committee to prepare the team for the Asia Cup. He explained that preparations began with a domestic camp involving 26 players, who underwent a series of evaluations before the squad was narrowed down to 18. He stressed that the tournament is a golden opportunity to test player performance in international settings and allows the technical staff to experiment with multiple strategies and identify areas of strength and weakness. He confirmed that the preparation programme extends beyond the tournament, with a domestic camp followed by an overseas camp in India ahead of the Asia Cup. Team captain Khalid bin Jumaa al Shaibi expressed confidence in his teammates, highlighting the high morale and good team readiness. He emphasised the importance of this tournament in strengthening team chemistry and performance. Al Shaibi said, Our confidence is rooted in our recent triumph at the Asian Hockey Federation Cup, which motivates us to deliver our best in this tournament. I take pride in the fact that the technical team is entirely Omani, and the trust placed in them is already bearing fruit through the positive results we've seen recently. The Oman national hockey team carries high ambitions in this tournament not only as a technical rehearsal for the upcoming Asia Cup, but also as an opportunity to elevate Oman's presence on the international hockey scene, supported by ongoing administrative and technical backing, and a strong desire to showcase Omani sports in the best possible light.
Observer
25-06-2025
- Sport
- Observer
Rasheed calls 30 players for Salalah training camp
MUSCAT: The Oman head coach team, Rasheed Jaber, announced recently the squad of 30 man for the upcoming Salalah training camp which is scheduled to take place from July 1 to 29. The squad featured a mixture of experienced players as well as standout talents from the Olympic and youth national teams and in line with the technical staff's strategy to build depth and broaden readiness for the decisive qualification phase. The official draw of the upcoming phase of the playoff qualifiers will take place on July 17. The preparatory camp in Salalah will act as a key part of the Red Warriors' preparations for the next round of the AFC Asian Qualifiers — Road to the Fifa World Cup 2026, where Oman will compete in the intercontinental playoff stage in October 2025, with two direct spots for the global finals in Canada, Mexico and the United States up for grabs. The preparatory camp in Salalah will act as a key part of the Red Warriors' preparations for the next round The coastal city of Salalah was selected for its mild summer climate, providing an ideal environment for high-intensity technical and physical training. Over the course of the 29-days camp, players will undergo a comprehensive programme under the direct supervision of head coach Rasheed Jaber and his assistant Yaqoob al Sabahi, focusing on tactical formations, fitness development and team chemistry. The summer gathering will be an important opportunity to shape the squad and fine-tune the tactical and physical aspects of the team. The presence of young players allow the coaching staff to assess future talents and increase competition within the squad. The training camp reflected the national team's ambition to secure one of the two direct qualification berths and realise the long-standing dream of reaching the Fifa World Cup for the first time in Oman's history. Squad: Ibrahim al Mukhaini, Fayez al Rushaidi, Abdulmalik al Badri, Thani al Rushaidi, Ghanim al Habshi, Majid al Saadi, Ziyad al Rasbi, Turki Abdullah, Mulhem al Sunaidy, Essa al Naabi, Ahmed al Kaabi, Yousef al Malki, Harib al Saadi, Sultan al Marzooq, Ahed al Mashakheyi, Al Faraj al Kiyoumi, Fahad Adil, Mohammed al Ghafri, Abdulsalam al Shukaili, Hussain al Shahri, Jameel al Yahmadi, Nasser al Rawahi, Hamed al Habsi, Mohammed Abdulhakim, Osama Majdi, Hatim al Rousdhi, Ahmed al Riyami, Bassam al Saadi, Said al Salami and Mohammed Bait Mustahil.
Observer
06-05-2025
- Sport
- Observer
Oman to play Niger, Lebanon in May
MUSCAT, MAY 6 The Oman national football team will take on Niger in a preparatory match on May 20 in Muscat and it will be followed with another warm-up game against Lebanon on May 28. The friendly matches were announced by the Oman Football Association through its X account. The ties are part of the Red Warriors' preparations for 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifiers. In June, the Red Warriors will play the two decisive remaining matches in the qualifiers. First will be against Jordan in Muscat on June 5 while the following encounter will be against Palestine on June 10 in an away match. According to the OFA, the final squad selected by head coach Rasheed Jaber will be announced after the last round of the top-tier domestic league on May 8. The Sultanate of Oman's football team managed to boost their hopes for both automatic and playoff spot qualification to the 2026 Fifa World Cup following their essential 1-0 win over the hosts Kuwait and the last draw against South Korea in last March. Oman are currently in fourth place with 10 points from eight matches and have a six-point gap with group toppers South Korea with two rounds remaining.
