Oman lost 2-1 to Tajikistan despite a strong start and more shots at goal in the first half. They began to run out of steam after conceding the second goal right after the break.
“The goals were our only mistakes,” said head coach Anwar Al Habsi. “But we will work on boosting both our defensive and attacking capabilities to do a better job against Iran.”
While Al Habsi acknowledges defeat would mean elimination for the two-time champion, he remained philosophical.
“All the teams in this group are connected to each other on the same level, so any of us can win or lose any of our games.”