Tuesday 18 / November / 2025
Muscat: African powerhouse Ivory Coast defeated Oman 2-0 in an international friendly played at the Seeb Sports Stadium on Tuesday.
Oman, coached by Carlos Queiroz of Portugal, are preparing for their crucial FIFA Arab Cup Qualifier against Somalia in Doha on November 26.
Following their 2-0 win over Sudan in another friendly last week, Oman went into the match high on confidence but the African giants took an early lead to deflate the hosts’ morale.
Under the floodlights of the Seeb Sports Stadium, Ivory Coast took command early as Vakoun Bayo broke the deadlock with a powerful header, converting an assist from Oumar Diakité in the ninth minute of the match.
The early lead set the tone for the Elephants, who continued to press their advantage. The visitors extended the lead in the 25th minute when the roles reversed. Bayo, the scorer of the first goal, turned provider, delivering a perfectly weighted assist for his teammate Jean-Philippe Krasso, who calmly slotted the ball home with his right foot from the centre of the box.
The two early goals were all the match witnessed as despite a series of attempts from Oman strikers, they failed to find the net.
The result, while disappointing, will give Queiroz valuable insights ahead of the decisive November 26 qualifier. Unlike the Sudan game, where Oman controlled proceedings, the formidable Ivorian team presented a far sterner test.
Despite the loss, the experience against a higher-ranked opponent should benefit the team. Oman will now need to regroup and analyse their performance, focusing on defensive solidity and attacking cohesion, as they look to secure victory against Somalia and advance to the group stage of the FIFA Arab Cup.
