The Central Asian side, who needed a win by a two-goal margin, trailed for most of the match before Joel Kojo’s equaliser in the 80th minute with the result meaning Oman were also eliminated.

“We knew it was a do-or-die match but we were unlucky with several of our key players suffering injuries in training,” said Tarkovic.

“Moreover, we also couldn’t utilise Ayzar Akmatov in the defence line because of the red card he picked up against Saudi Arabia.”

Kyrgyz Republic were noticeably shaky in the first half, leading to Oman taking the lead but their courageous play in the second half left the Slovak impressed.

“We needed two goals to qualify and it was only possible through taking risks. I was glad to see the boys remain undeterred at half-time and they were also quick to understand the kind of changes I wanted to see on the field.

“Oman had several quality players and we needed to be more compact, and we tried to make charges even though it posed the threat of conceding further goals. I am very impressed with the mental fortitude that the team displayed,” Tarkovic added.

Branko Ivankovic, meanwhile, expressed regret over Oman’s missed opportunities.

“Unfortunately, we did not achieve the desired result, which was victory and qualification. We were the better team for most of the match, and had many opportunities, but we did not exploit them well,” said the head coach.

“Mistakes happen in football and despite predominantly being in control, we ended up conceding because of miscommunication in the final third.

“Kyrgyz Republic, on the other hand, had a good goalkeeper in their midst and also took advantage of their one golden opportunity,” said Brankovic, who took charge of his last match as the Oman Football Association subsequently announced on its social media account that his contract would not be renewed.