We had a tight game in India but we will have good home support and would like to grab the three points: Erwin Koeman Oman head coach

Muscat: After the clash between hosts Oman and Bangladesh was crystal clear as the Red Warriors romped to a 4-1 win in a Group E clash of the joint 2022 FIFA World Cup and 2023 Asian Cup qualifier at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex (SQSC). Despite all the five goals coming in the second half, Oman was hardly troubled by the visiting side as local hero Ali al Habsi made a return to the playing XI after a gap of nearly an year. 

Habsi led the team to a triumphant return after Oman had suffered a narrow 1-2 loss to group topper Qatar in its previous match last month. The win helped Oman, coached by Dutchman Erwin Koeman, to close the margin at the top of the group with Qatar (ten) now leading by just a single point.

Afghanistan is third with four points while India has three and Bangladesh has one after four matches played by all the teams. Koeman's Red Warriors will get an opportunity to keep the pressure on Qatar when it takes on India in their next match at the same venue on Tuesday. The match at the SQSC kicks off at 7pm. Qatar is also in action on the same day as it takes on Afghanistan in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. 

Speaking after the win, Koeman said, “It was a difficult game as Bangladesh was too defensive and we couldn't execute our plans in the first half properly. The early goal in the second changed the course of the match. Finally, it was a good job done by the boys. “My players had to work hard and to have four goals in 45 minutes is an encouraging sign. I am very happy on the way the players came back in the second half.”

On the next game against India, Koeman said, “It would be a tough game. The Indian players are little bit better than the Bangladesh side. They may not be as defensive as what we saw today and it would mean that our players can exploit the spaces. “We had a tight game in India but we will have good home support and would like to grab the three points.” 

On Thursday, the match was played in front of a packed stadium with the Bangladeshi fans outnumbering the local supporters. Many fans of the visiting team had to return without gaining access as the allotted seats were full well before the kick-off. Oman was left frustrated in the opening 45 minutes by a determined Bangladesh. 

However the home side returned with four goals after the break to power past Jamie Day’s charges. Oman found its shooting boots in the second half with Mohsin Jawhar al Khaldi finishing off a sublime move in the 48th minute, firing his shot into the top corner of the net. Al Monther al Alawi then doubled Oman’s advantage in the 68th minute after latching onto Abdulaziz al Ghailani’s cross from the right flank with a close-range effort. 

Oman stretched its lead ten minutes later through substitute Arshad al Alawi’s long-range effort with Ghailani providing the assist. Bangladesh, however, was not to be denied as Biplu Ahmed pulled one back for the South Asian team after a costly mistake by the Oman defence saw Rahmat Mia feed Ahmed inside the area.

Amran al Hidi ended the proceedings with a late goal from inside the box which slipped through the hands of Bangladesh custodian Ashraful Islam Rana.