Oman claims narrow win over Syria in first Asia Cup qualifier

Syrian opposition supporter runs onto the field of play during Syria's match against Oman Syria's Asia Cup 2015 qualifying campaign got underway with a 1-0 defeat to Oman at Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Muscat on Wednesday. Off the field, Omani police were forced to intervene after clashes between supporters for and against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Abdelaziz al-Maqbali scored the only goal of the match to give Paul Le Guen's side an early advantage in Group A of the qualifiers.
After dominating the opening half, the Omanis got the goal their performance deserved six minutes before the break when al-Maqbali volleyed home Qasim Saeed's cross from the left past Syrian goalkeeper Mossab Balhous.
Saeed went close to doubling Oman's lead on the stroke of half time when his effort from the left beat Balhous but Hussein al-Jwayed cleared the ball off the line.
The Omanis chose to sit back and defend their lead in the second half as the Syrians pushed for the equaliser. With 11 minutes to go, Oday al-Jafal went closest to levelling the scores, but his effort went wide of Ali al-Habsi's left-hand post.
Before kick-off, stadium officials placed a barrier in the stands to separate pro and anti-Syrian government supporters, fearing that tension caused by the 23-month conflict could spill into the sporting arena.
However, the barrier was not enough to prevent violence, as the two sides clashed with each other after an anti-government supporter broke into the playing field waving the flag of the uprising.