Jordan and Oman are set to come face-to-face in Group B of the AFC FIFA World Cup third qualifying round on Tuesday, with both teams looking to close the gap to the top two in the group.
The hosts are third with four points from their first three fixtures, while the visitors are currently in fourth with three points from their opening three games.
© Imago
Aiming to qualify for their first-ever FIFA World Cup tournament in their history, Jordan have made a positive start in Group B of the third qualifying round.
Jordan advanced to the third round with ease, finishing at the top of their second-round group alongside Saudi Arabia on 13 points, but secured the top spot due to a superior goal difference.
They kicked off the third round with a disheartening draw to Kuwait, conceding a 92nd-minute equaliser after taking the lead in the 14th minute, but bounced back with a comfortable 3-1 win against Palestine.
Jamal Sellami, who has been in charge since June 2024, suffered his first defeat as Jordan manager in their last outing as they were bested by South Korea, resulting in the Chivalrous Ones dropping from second to third in Group B.
Sellami will be eager to rebound with a vital victory against fourth-placed Oman on Tuesday, as Jordan aim to enhance their chances of at least qualifying for the fourth qualifying round with a top-four finish.
Oman are similarly aiming to achieve qualification for their first World Cup tournament, and they also headed into the third round after topping their second-round group.
They recorded 13 points from four wins, one draw and one loss in that group, finishing ahead of Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia and Chinese Taipei as they booked their place in the third round.
Oman failed to replicate that form in their opening two third-round fixtures, losing 1-0 to Iraq and 3-1 to South Korea, results that led to the dismissal of former manager Jaroslav Silhavy.
Rashid Jaber took charge heading into matchday three, and the new boss certainly got a tune out of his players as Oman phenomenally ran out 4-0 winners against Kuwait, lifting them to fourth in the standings.
Jaber will be hoping for more of the same from his team when they face Jordan on Tuesday, aiming to climb the rankings and move closer to a historic first-ever World Cup appearance.
Although they lost 2-0 to South Korea in their last match, Jordan created numerous chances and posed a consistent threat throughout the game, which may lead Sellami to field a similar lineup in this game.
Nizar Al Rashdan was taken off after a particularly poor performance in that match, including marking an error that led to a South Korea goal, meaning Sellami may replace him for this one.
For Oman, Arshad Al-Alawi returned to the lineup for their victory against Kuwait after serving a suspension for a red card received in the match against Iraq, and the midfielder is expected to retain his spot in the starting 11 for this match.
Goalscorers Abdulrahman Al-Mushaifri (two) and Muhsen Al Ghassani (one) are both likely to stay in the team, while Abdullah Fawaz, who came off the bench to score the fourth, may come into the starting side.
Jordan possible starting lineup:
Abulaila; Nasib, Al-Arab, Dahab; Haddad, Sadeh, Al-Rawabdeh, Hasheesh; Al Mardi, Taha; Olwan
Oman possible starting lineup:
Al-Mukhaini; Al Harthi, Al-Khamisi, Al-Musalami, Al Busaidi; Al Yahmadi, Al-Saadi, Al-Alawi, Al-Mushaifri; Fawaz, Al Ghassani
While Jordan may be the favourite to win, Oman head into this one with renewed confidence following their 4-0 victory, making them a formidable opponent, leading us to believe this match will likely end in a draw.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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