Oman take on the visitors Tajikistan in the second round match of CAFA Nations Cup group stage. The match will be played on Wednesday, June 14th.
The Oman national team itself is not particularly notable, but in recent years, it has gained some recognition in the football community of the Asian continent, especially after reaching the round of 16 in the 2019 AFC Asian Cup. However, that achievement marks the end of "Al-Ahmar's" accomplishments. When facing opponents of similar caliber, such as Bahrain, Yemen, and Syria, Oman often plays successfully and defeats them. However, when the opponent's qualification is slightly higher, as in their recent match against Uzbekistan, the players' enthusiasm to secure points diminishes. In the last match, Ivanovic's team lost 0-3 to Uzbekistan. It's worth mentioning that this was one of the few matches for the team in which the total goals exceeded the standard. It was only the 4th high-scoring match out of Oman's last 17 battles.
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The above-mentioned characterization of Oman also applies to Tajikistan. They have qualified for the Asian Cup for the first time in their history, which will take place in Qatar. In the first round of the AFC Nations League, the "Persian Lions" drew 1-1 with Turkmenistan. Tajikistan does not display a particular inclination for high-scoring football either, as in 7 out of their last 10 matches, they played with low scores.
Oman are considered the favorite in this match, with significant odds in their favor. However, it remains to be seen if this holds true. Tajikistan appointed German-Croatian coach Shehert a year and a half ago. Under his guidance, the team managed to qualify for the final stage of the Asian Cup, despite being in a seemingly hopeless situation. In 12 matches under his leadership, the team has only lost twice in regular time. The coach's strategy does not exhibit any remarkable novelty; he plays defensively with counter-attacking moves. Therefore, it is better not to seek a clear winner here. One should not expect a goal fest either. Goals may be scarce in the upcoming duel, and witnessing three goals is highly unlikely. Tajikistan will likely set up a "two-story bus" defense, and Oman is not a team capable of breaking such defenses two or three times per game. Moreover, the opponents are not significantly different in terms of their qualification. While I won't venture to predict how they will split the points, they will probably aim for a maximum of two goals in this sharing.
Prediction for the match: Under 2.5 scored goals.
