The national team continued its progress in the dual qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup and the 2023 AFC Asian Cup after achieving a 5-0 victory over Indonesia in the ninth round of matches in Group G. This victory raised the "White" team’s points to 15, placing them second in the group, while Vietnam maintained its lead with 17 points after defeating Malaysia 2-1. The upcoming match between the national team and Vietnam in the tenth round, scheduled for Tuesday, will determine which team will top Group G and qualify directly for the third round of the 2022 World Cup qualifiers.
The "White" seeks to avoid complicated calculations regarding qualification for the same stage, as the five best teams that finish second across the eight groups will advance. Currently, the national team is ranked fifth among the teams in second place with chances to continue in the World Cup qualifiers. If the national team wins against Vietnam, it will officially secure the top spot in Group G and advance directly to the third round of qualifying. However, if they draw or lose, they will remain in second place, with their qualification chances dependent on the outcomes of other competing teams vying for the five slots.
Oman currently leads the list of second-place teams with 12 points, as they are set to face Bangladesh in the tenth round, but the result will not benefit Oman significantly, given that Bangladesh is in fifth place in Group E. China follows in second place among the second-place teams with 10 points and will face the leaders of Group A, Syria, who have already qualified for the third round. Meanwhile, Lebanon is in third place with 10 points and has a tough match against the leaders of Group H, South Korea. Uzbekistan is ranked fourth with nine points and will play a decisive match against Saudi Arabia to determine the group leaders and runners-up. Iran is in sixth place with nine points and will also play a critical match against Iraq, while Jordan is in seventh place with eight points and must face the leaders of Group B, Australia.
For his part, the head of the national teams committee at the Football Association, Youssef Hussein Al-Sahlawi, praised the performance of the "White" players against Indonesia, stating in press remarks: "We played a very good match in all aspects, whether in possession of the ball or in playing style and scoring goals. In the end, we achieved what was most important, which is winning and securing the three points." He added: "What remains now is the most important match for us, which is playing against Vietnam in the last round of the second stage of the qualifiers. It is a difficult and crucial match, and there is no doubt that we will enter this match with the aim of winning to advance to the top of Group G and qualify directly for the third round of the World Cup qualifiers."
Al-Sahlawi pointed out that the team is proceeding according to the plan and aspirations set before the qualifiers began, saying: "We talked from the beginning about the team approaching every match as if it were a championship final. The White team has won three matches, and the focus will be high against Vietnam to avoid getting into the calculations of qualifying via finishing second. We fully trust the coaching staff and players and their ability to achieve victory and delight the fans who deserve recognition and appreciation for the significant role they played in supporting the team and players during the past matches."
### Marvik: The Team Has Achieved Nothing Yet
The national team coach, Dutch Bert van Marwijk, expressed confidence in his players' abilities to win against Vietnam in the next match, which marks the conclusion of the Group G qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup and the 2023 AFC Asian Cup. He emphasized that the "White" has achieved nothing yet in the World Cup qualifiers and stressed the importance of winning against Vietnam.
Marwijk stated in a press conference after the victory over Indonesia: "I am happy with the large result, but I am not satisfied with some periods of the match, especially the slackness at the end of the first half." He added: "I spoke with the players after the first half about the need to build confidence and return in the second half to deliver the strong performance they are known for, aiming to finish the match completely." He continued: "We have not achieved our desired goal from the qualifiers yet, and I was looking to give some players a rest, but we still have one last match against Vietnam to complete the task."
### Best Second-Place Teams:
1. Oman - 12 points
2. China - 10 points
3. Lebanon - 10 points
4. Uzbekistan - 9 points
5. United Arab Emirates - 9 points
6. Iran - 9 points
7. Jordan - 8 points
