Oman and Kuwait are both seeking their first win in the third round of Asian World Cup 2026 Qualifying as they meet in Muscat on Thursday. Oman is aiming to bounce back after two consecutive defeats, while Kuwait will be looking to build on their unbeaten start following two draws in September.
Match Preview
Oman’s World Cup qualifying campaign has gotten off to a rocky start, with two losses from their opening matches. After topping their second-round group with 13 points from six matches, they moved into the third round hoping to maintain that momentum. However, their first match resulted in a 1-0 loss to Iraq, and they followed that with a 3-1 defeat to South Korea, despite briefly leveling the game at 1-1. These setbacks have led to a managerial change, with Rashid Jaber taking over from Jaroslav Silhavy.
As Jaber leads Oman in his first game as head coach, he’ll be eager to secure a much-needed victory and get their World Cup bid back on track. Oman will be looking to make a strong start in front of their home fans and turn around their recent fortunes.
Kuwait, meanwhile, comes into the match after two draws in their opening third-round matches. They secured a dramatic 1-1 draw against Jordan thanks to a last-minute penalty from Yousef Nasser, and followed that with a goalless stalemate against Iraq. Kuwait, under new manager Juan Antonio Pizzi, will be pushing for their first win to boost their chances of moving up in Group B.
Team News
Oman:
Oman will welcome back midfielder Arshad Al-Alawi, who was suspended for their previous match against South Korea. He is expected to rejoin Harib Al-Saadi in midfield. Defensively, Mohammed Al-Musalami, Oman’s most capped player with 116 appearances, will lead the backline. Up front, Muhsen Al-Ghassani will spearhead the attack, with Issam Al-Sabhi likely competing for a starting role alongside him.
Kuwait:
Kuwait will once again rely on their star striker Yousef Nasser, who has 50 international goals to his name. Supporting him will be Mohammad Daham and Faisal Zayid on the wings, while Ahmad Al-Dhefiri and Redha Abujabarah are expected to anchor the midfield. Manager Juan Antonio Pizzi has several options to consider but is likely to stick with the core players from the first two matches.
Possible Lineups
Oman:
Al-Mukhaini; Al-Harthi, Al-Musalami, Al-Khamisi, Al-Busaidi; Al-Yahmadi, Al-Saadi, Al-Alawi, Al-Mushaifri; Al-Ghassani, Al-Sabhi
Kuwait:
Abdulghafoor; Al-Sanea, Al-Hajeri, El Ebrahim, Al-Enezi, Ghanam; Daham, Al-Dhefiri, Abujabarah, Zayid; Nasser
Stay tuned to softfootball.com for more updates and analysis on the World Cup Qualifying – Asia matches.
