![The Indian football team training in Dubai. (Image: AIFF)](data:image/svg+xml,<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 800 495"></svg>)
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The Indian football team will return to action on Thursday after a gap of almost 16 months as the Blue Tigers face Oman in an international friendly at the Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum Stadium in Dubai.
This will be the first competitive fixture for the Indian football team after Stimac's men succumbed to a 0-1 loss to the same opposition in 2019. Meanwhile, Oman come into the fixture after a goalless draw with Jordan last week.
The friendly with Oman is the first of two friendlies to be played by the Indian football team as part of the preparation for the remaining fixtures of the FIFA World Cup 2022/AFC Asian Cup 2023 Round 2 qualifiers. India will then clash with UAE in the second friendly on Monday.
Indian football team vs Oman: Head-to-head
The Indian football team is yet to win a single game against Oman. The Blue Tigers faced Oman nine times and have managed to eke out only two draws while losing seven fixtures. Oman registered a slender 1-0 victory in the most recent fixture between the two teams in the AFC Asian Cup 2023/FIFA World Cup 2022 qualifiers.
Indian football team Form Guide: L-D-D-D-L
Oman Form Guide: W-D-W-W-D
Indian football team Predicted XIs
The Indian football team (4-1-4-1)
Amrinder Singh (GK), Akash Mishra, Chinglensana Singh, Sandesh Jhingan, Ashish Rai, Halicharan Narzary, Rowllin Borges, Lalengmawia, Bipin Singh, Anirudh Thapa, Manvir Singh
Oman (4-3-3)
Faiyz Al-Rushaidi (GK), Ali Al-Busaidi, Mohsin Jouhar Al-Khaldi, Harib Al-Saadi, Abdullah Fawaz, Musen Al-Ghassai, Abdul Aziz Al Maqbali, Abdulraziz Al Gheilani, Juma Al Habsi, Ahmed Al Khamisi, Amjad Al Harthi
Indian football team vs Oman: Telecast and Streaming Details
The game will be televised on Eurosport HD in India. Eurosport HD can be streamed on JIO TV upon subscription to a JIO network. The game is expected to be available on Discovery+ as well, upon subscription to the premium programme.
Oman Sports TV will televise the game in Oman and the official streaming service of the channel is expected to stream the game here.
The game kicks off at 05.45 PM Local Time, which is 07.15 PM Indian Standard Time (IST).
Indian football team vs Oman Prediction
The Indian football team will take the field after a long gap of more than fifteen months and is not expected to show the required level of team coordination. Igor Stimac's men have a lot of new faces in the squad and will need an ample amount of time to settle down as a cohesive unit. Oman are expected to run away with the match on Thursday, given the superior quality of players.
Prediction: India 1-2 Oman
