Muscat: A ten-player Omani team secured their place in the playoff stage of the AFC Asian Qualifiers - Road to 26 Group B by managing a 1-1 draw against Palestine at the King Abdullah Stadium in Amman, Jordan, on Tuesday evening.
Issam Al Subhi successfully converted a penalty in stoppage time, earning a crucial point that allowed them to advance to the fourth round along with Iraq after trailing Palestine for most of the second half.
Previously, Oday Kharoub's powerful header in the 49th minute gave Palestine the lead, but the determined effort of the Rasheed Jaber-coached Red Warriors secured them a spot in the playoffs.
With this draw, Oman finished with 11 points while Palestine concluded with 10 points. Oman entered the match knowing they only needed a draw to progress into the playoffs, thereby wrapping up their campaign with 11 points.
South Korea (22 points) and Jordan (16 points) secured automatic qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup from Group B, while Iraq (15 points) and Oman advanced to the playoffs as third and fourth place teams in the group.
For Oman, this draw was a significant comeback following their 3-0 defeat to Jordan at home last week.
Oman avoided an early setback when a header from a Palestine player struck the woodwork just four minutes into the match.
In the first half, Munther Al Alawi of Oman had the best opportunity, making a dangerous run into the box only to find a defender blocking his shot at the last moment.
Neither team managed to score before halftime, but Palestine took the lead shortly after the break when Kharoub's header, following a corner kick, overcame the Oman defense and goalkeeper Faiz Al Rusheidi.
Oman worked hard to find the equalizer, but their efforts took a hit in the 73rd minute when veteran midfielder Harib Al Saadi received a red card from the Iranian referee for a tackle that resulted in his second yellow card.
Down to ten men, Oman persisted in putting pressure on Palestine, but they could not secure the equalizer until the very end of injury time, when they were awarded a penalty after Mohsin Al Ghassani was fouled inside the box by Palestine's Ahmad Taha.
Al Subhi successfully converted the penalty, eliciting joyous reactions from the travelling fans and thousands of supporters back in Oman.
