Dubai: Oman walloped the visiting Indian team 5-1 in a friendly at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex Stadium in Muscat yesterday. The friendly was a part of India's preparation for the forthcoming AFC Challenge Cup.
For India, Joaquim Abranches scored their solitary goal in the 64th minute. The goal apart, there were moments in the match where India could have scored more.
The manner in which the team, missing as many as six first-team players from the starting XI, showed character and created openings deserves praise.
For the hosts, Esmail Al Ajami scored a double, while Mohammad Al Gasani, Hassan Rabea and Abdullah Thuwaini scored one apiece.
Defensive lapses
The start for India was not good. Two defensive lapses within a span of two minutes saw them concede twice in the first seven minutes.
Those lapses set the tone for the match, something from which the team never recovered.
Crowd trouble
Korea seek punishment
South Korea will seek punishment against Oman for their failure to control supporters in Wednesday's Olympic soccer qualifier between the two teams in Muscat, local media reported yesterday.
South Korea's under-23s won 3-0 to qualify for this year's London Olympics, but the game was marred by crowd trouble as fans hurled water bottles and other objects on to the pitch. Tempers boiled over after South Korea's third goal midway through the second half, midfielder Han Kook-young collapsing to the ground after a firecracker nearly hit him in the face.
"This is a clear-cut case and we expect some sort of penalty," the Korea Football Association (KFA) told Yonhap news agency.
"If that doesn't happen, we will ask the Asian Football Confederation [AFC] to punish Oman."
— Reuters
