Jordan went into the match looking to bounce back after losing 2-0 to Korea Republic on Thursday while Oman were on a high after a comprehensive 4-0 defeat of Kuwait but braces from Yazan Al Naimat and Ali Alwan saw Sellami’s team move up to seven points in the standings.
“We learned our lesson from the previous match. We were ready and the goals came at important moments. I thank the players who were in the moment despite the pressure.
“I also congratulate Al Naimat and Alwan on their excellent performance, as well as all the other players. The match was important for us to remain in the competition for the top two spots in the group and we have no fear of any team,” said Sellami.
Sellami admitted that it had required a lot of hard work to ensure Jordan functioned smoothly against Oman following the defeat to Korea Republic.
“We worked from the beginning to develop the performance. The players are playing in different leagues, which caused us a problem. We needed time to adapt and harmonise and the presence of Yazan and Ali gave us a big addition, even though Yazan was not fully ready.
“Mousa Al Taamari will return for the next match and we will be ready as we know the importance of what is coming.”
Seeking a first appearance at the FIFA World Cup Finals, Jordan face away ties against Iraq and Kuwait in November.
For Oman, it was a case of not being able to maintain consistency with head coach Rashid Jaber describing the tie as his team’s worst performance in the AFC Asian Qualifiers.
“Our team played their worst match of the Qualifiers while Jordan were strong and played a great match, during which they outperformed us in everything throughout the 90 minutes,” said Jaber. “All the players who started the match, except for Abdulrahman Al Mushafri, did not perform. Neither did the substitutes.
“Jordan’s mental and physical presence were better and this explains their superiority in individual situations. Our chances of qualifying for the World Cup are still there, but we must change our mentality and be positive.”
Oman will be at home for their next two matches, against Palestine on November 14 and Iraq five days later.
