2019 Asian Cup Qualifiers: Oman inches closer to top spot
Date
11/15/2017 4:30:24 AM
(MENAFN- Muscat Daily) It was a match where Oman coach Pim Verbeek was looking for an outright victory to close the gap on table-topper Palestine ahead of their Group D concluding clash of the 2019 AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers in March in Muscat.
Oman did keep its hopes alive of topping its group after it recorded a scrappy 4-2 win over the hosts Bhutan at the Changlimithang Stadium, situated at an altitude of 2,600m, in Thimphu on Tuesday.
The victory moved Oman on to 12 points from five games. Palestine hosts Maldives later on Tuesday and is expected to win leaving the concluding match to decide the group topper.
A win by a two-goal margin for Oman at home would be enough for Verbeek's Red Warriors to claim first place.
On Tuesday, Oman was made to work for its three points by Bhutan, however, and, after a goalless first half, the visitors took the lead when Sami alHassani headed home at the near post just three minutes after the restart.
Bhutan then stunned Oman just 11 minutes later when Chencho Gyeltshen led his team on a counter-attack before laying the ball off to Karma Shedrup Tshering and his shot from outside the area slipped under goalkeeper and Oman skipper Ali al Habsi.
With 15 minutes remaining Oman reclaimed the lead when Raed Ibrahim Saleh's right-foot shot from outside the area beat goalkeeper Hari Gurung.
In the 85th minute it doubled its lead when Raed Ibrahim bundled the ball over the line from close range before completing his hat-trick when he added his side's fourth a minute before the end of regulation time with another close-range effort.
The goal of the night, though, came from the hosts in injury time when Chencho struck from long range free-kick and his low strike gave veteran goalkeeper Habsi little chance.
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