Football: Oman vs Egypt on Aug 15th @Salalah

By staff - Wed Aug 08, 3:13 am

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Egypt have called-up several foreign-based players for their upcoming friendly game against Oman in Salalah on 15 August. Oman team which has been in the path of good form will use this challenge to prepare for the next round of 2014 FIFA World Cup Qualifications which will start with Oman vs Jordan – 16 Oct – Muscat & Oman vs Japan on – 14 Nov – again in Muscat.

The match is scheduled for 9:30 p.m. on Wednesday, August 15 at A’saada Sports Complex in Salalah, a great opportunity for those in southern Oman to see the Senior National Team up close, and a perfect chance for everyone to plan a fun Ramadan trip.

Tickets will be available for purchase at A’Saada Sports Complex and Shell Select in Salalah, and they will go on sale soon. Prices are 2 OMR for general entry tickets, 10 OMR for VIP and 25 OMR for VVIP. Sharik members can use their Sharik card to get into the match for free.

Fans in attendance can expect a full stadium experience – including food and beverages on sale – as well as an exciting match between two countries playing excellent football of late.

Having tied its last two matches in June, Oman enters the Egypt fixture with 2 points in AFC World Cup qualifying Group B, in a tie for second place with Australia and Iraq. Oman star goalkeeper Ali Al Habsi and his teammates have five matches left in qualification – including home contests against Jordan (October 16) and Japan (November 14) – and the team needs to finish in the top three in Group B to advance. If they finish in second or better, they automatically qualify for Brazil 2014.

With the Egypt contest, the Red Warriors will face a side that is similarly progressing in World Cup qualification, out of Africa. The Pharaohs sit atop their group in the second round of CAF qualifying with two wins in two matches, putting them in excellent position to advance to the final round.

Fans interested in traveling to Salalah for the Egypt match should check out flights on Oman Air, key partner and official carrier of the OFA. Oman Air has frequent, inexpensive flights to Salalah from Muscat, which take only about 90 minutes. Secure your flights to the game through Oman Air’s online booking system.

For those who are unable to make the trip to Salalah, the game will be shown live on Oman TV2.

Whether you’re planning to watch in-stadium or on TV, all fans should make their support for the National Team felt by taking the Support the Shirt Pledge for the Egypt match. Oman fans across the Sultanate and internationally are asked to visit the Oman World Cup site and take the Pledge, a way to let the team know you’re behind them. The Pledge is free – all you have to do is fill in your name, email address and hometown on the form and submit it.

Goalkeeping coach Zaki Abdel-Fattah told Ahram Online that the likes of Hosni Abd-Rabou (Al-Nasr, Saudi Arabia), Ahmed Elmohamady (Sunderland), Mohamed El-Gabbas and Ahmed Ouka (Lierse, Belgium) should be available for the match.

However, UAE-based duo Mohamed Zidan and Mahmoud Abdel-Razek ‘Shikabala’ remain out favour.

Zidan, who recently joined Emirati club Bani Yas after his contract with German Bundesliga side Mainz, has been snubbed by Egypt boss Bob Bradley since abandoning the team’s training camp before an African Nations Cup qualifier against Central Africa.

Shikabala, who moved to Al-Wasl on a season-long loan from Cairo giants Zamalek, is also left out, given his lack of match fitness.

Egypt’s friendly against Oman is their first game since they stunningly failed to qualify for the Nations Cup for the second consecutive time following a 4-3 aggregate defeat by minnows Central Africa.

Bradley was heavily criticized by local media but the Egyptian Football Association opted to keep faith with him after the Pharaohs made a fine start to their World Cup qualifying campaign, winning their first two games in Group G.

Source: With inputs from OFA