Dushanbe: Oman kicked off their AFC U-16 Championship 2018 Malaysia qualifying campaign on a high note, beating Maldives 8-0 in Tajikistan on Wednesday.
Oman took charge of the match early as they went ahead in the eighth minute when an unmarked Issa Khalfan Al-Naabi rose above the Maldives defenders to score off a corner.
Mulham Yousuf Al Sinaidi scored Oman’s second in the 25th minute when he pounced on a loose ball off a free-kick past the Maldives keeper.
Oman made it three after Fahad Said Al Rasbi found ample space in the penalty box as he beat three defenders to score in the 44th minute.
Oman managed to sqeeze in one more at the stroke of halftime through Omar Nasser Al Salti’s effort.
There was no reprieve for Maldives after the break, as Oman put them under pressure from the start with their high pressing game.
Al Sinaidi picked up his second in the 61st minute after Al-Naabi beat the offside trap to cross from the left onto the path of an unmarked Al Sinaidi - who was the man-of-the-match.
Oman showed no signs of slowing down as they pushed for more goals. Nasser 'Abdallah Al Naabi hit a brace in the 64th and 72nd minutes before Tariq Khamis Al-Mashary completed the rout in the 82nd minute.
Emomali Ahmadkhon and Islom Zairov stole the show for Tajikistan as they overcame Syria 2-0 in their AFC U-16 Championship 2018 Malaysia qualifying campaign Group B match on Wednesday.
Tajikistan pressed early in the first half but they could not find a breakthrough as Syria were up to the task.
Ahmadkhon should have put Tajikistan ahead in the seventh minute but his effort bounced off the crossbar, while his teammate, Shohrukh Sangov had a golden oppotunity to score two minutes later but his shot was saved by Syria goalkeeper Mohd Talal Alkashak.
Ahmadkhon finally broke the deadlock in the 68th minute when he lobbed over Alkashak after picking up a through pass.
Islom Zairov added the second for Tajikistan when he charged into the area and tucked his shot past Alkashak in the 75 minute.
Photos: AFC
Source: the-afc.com