Oman have become the second team to emerge triumphant from the FIFA Arab Cup 2021™ qualifiers, edging past Somalia in an entertaining encounter at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium.

Ranked 80th in the world and facing a side 117 places lower, the Omanis were heavy favourites for this tie - and justified that status with an impressive first-half performance.

Mohsen Al-Ghasani pounced on a rebound to fire them into an 11th-minute lead, and that was doubled 25 minutes later when the same player earned a penalty that was coolly converted by Salaah Al Yahyaei.

Somalia, though, showed real spirit in the second half and provided a dramatic finale after deservedly halving the deficit through a superb downward header by Abel Gigli.

Oman held on for victory, however, and they will join hosts Qatar, Iraq, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Syria, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Algeria and Sudan - who qualified yesterday - in the tournament’s final phase from 30 November to 18 December. The remaining qualifiers will determine the other five participants in the days ahead.