OFA urges fans to show national pride

Final countdown to what is set to be one of the most important matches in Oman's football history is on, with just hours until the Sultanate's senior national team faces Japan in the latest World Cup Qualification match. With kick-off in sight, the OFA is calling on fans to step up and show their national pride by getting behind the Red Warriors today. To qualify for the 2014 Fifa World Cup Brazil, Oman must finish in the top two in their group, so they need as many fans as possible to arrive early and maximise that all-important home advantage. Fans are being urged to arrive well before the match to enjoy the festival atmosphere and to make a huge noise as the players do battle with the Blue Samurai. Attendees of the match tomorrow will also have a fantastic opportunity to win a number of prizes from the Oman Football Association raffle. All you need to do is hold onto your ticket stub, as 30 lucky ticket holders will be chosen to win great prizes including trips to Dubai from Majan Travel, Oman Oil Vouchers for fuel, and dinner at a Turkish restaurant in Muscat. And following the huge support at the Jordan match, the OFA and national team key partner Oman Air are asking fans to Support the Shirt by painting the town red this November — proudly wearing Omani red throughout the month and especially on match day. Decorate yourself in red clothes, do whatever it takes to show your Oman colours. Then take a picture and send it to the OFA at TheFanSays@ofa.om, post it on Twitter with the #SupportTheShirt hashtag or add it to the Oman National Football Team page wall on Facebook to be part of the Sultanate's celebration of football. The best photos will win prizes from the OFA, including the grand prize of a camera from Samsung. Coach Paul Le Guen, said: "We know the stadium will be full for the match, we now need our fans to cheer as loud as they can throughout the game. This is one of the biggest matches in the history of Omani football and the fans can make a world of difference if the team on the pitch can see and hear their support." General entry tickets are just RO 2 for today's match so show your support for the Red Warriors and be part of history as Oman march on towards Brazil 2014. Plus remember, Sharik Card owners get automatic entry into the match against Japan, all other home World Cup qualifying fixtures. Fans can take the Support the Shirt Pledge simply by visiting ofa.om or the Facebook and filling in their name, hometown and email address or phone number on the pledge form. Those who pledge will get a chance to win match tickets, and if you get 10 friends to take the pledge, you could win your own official Oman National Team shirt. Times Of Oman