RCA crowned champions of Eights tournament
Published: 05:02 PM,Feb 25,2025 | EDITED : 09:02 PM,Feb 25,2025
The Royal Court Affairs (RCA) players celebrate with the trophy.
The Royal Court Affairs (RCA) team clinched the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth’s 2025 Government Institutions Football Eights Championship after a well-earned 3-0 victory over the Ministry of Education (MoE) team in the final match. In the third-place playoff, the Ministry of Transport, Communications, and Information Technology secured the bronze medal by defeating the State Audit Institution team 1-0.
The final match was held at Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Bausher under the auspices of Dr Mahad bin Said Baowain, Minister of Labour, and in the presence of Basil bin Ahmed al Rawas, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth for Sports and Youth.
From the opening whistle, the RCA team adopted an aggressive attacking strategy. They took the lead in the second minute, with Nooh al Battashi capitalising on a precise pass from Qasim al Abdulsalam to slot the ball into the net. The team dominated possession and nearly doubled their lead when Nooh al Battashi’s powerful shot just missed the right post. The MoE team attempted to hold their defensive lines and close spaces, but they struggled to keep up with the speed and movement of their opponents. Qasim al Abdulsalam played another dangerous pass to Al Battashi, but the MoE goalkeeper, Ghanem al Hasani, made a crucial save.
In the closing minutes of the first half, the MoE team pushed forward seeking an equaliser. Their best chance came in the 18th minute, when Yousuf al Hinai’s powerful shot was denied by goalkeeper Al Muhannad al Balushi, ensuring a 1-0 halftime lead for the RCA team.
As the second half began, the MoE continued to press for a goal, but the RCA team remained well-organised and solid at the back. In the 23rd minute, Aref al Balushi extended the lead with a low-driven shot into the net, making it 2-0.
Despite the MoE efforts to reduce the deficit, they struggled against the intense pressing from their opponents. The final blow came in the 30th minute, when Nooh al Battashi capitalised on a defensive error and fired a powerful shot into the net, sealing the 3-0 victory.
In the final minutes, the MoE team fought hard to score, but goalkeeper Al Muhannad al Balushi’s outstanding performance ensured a clean sheet and confirmed the RCA team as champions.
Individual Awards
The tournament honoured standout performances with Waleed al Abri of State Audit Institution (SAI) named Best Coach, and Khalid al Toobi of MoE awarded Best Administrator. Al Muhannad al Balushi of RCA won the Best Goalkeeper award, while his teammate Qasim al Abdulsalam earned Best Player of the Tournament. Murshid al Balushi of Ministry of Labour claimed the Top-Scorer title.
Ibrahim al Shibli, tournament director, expressed his delight at the event’s success, noting that the tournament received significant interest from government employees, who requested more similar sporting events.
Al Shibli stated that the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth was keen to organise this tournament to enhance partnerships among government institutions and provide a sports platform that fosters social connections among employees through fair competition.
He also praised the high technical level of the final match and the strong audience turnout, which highlighted the enthusiasm of employees for such events. He further promised that next year’s tournament would see further improvements and enhancements to meet the expectations of participating teams.
Nasr al Wahaibi, head coach of the Royal Court Affairs team, expressed his pride in his team’s performance, stating:
'I congratulate my players on this well-deserved victory. They showed an outstanding level throughout the tournament. As government employees, we truly need such sporting gatherings that strengthen our bonds. This event also allowed us to reunite with old friends from our school days, which is a great personal achievement.'
He added, 'from the start of the tournament, our goal was clear: to win the title. Through teamwork and dedication, we achieved this. I sincerely thank the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Youth for their excellent organisation, and I hope such tournaments continue due to their great positive impact on employees.'
The final match was held at Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Bausher under the auspices of Dr Mahad bin Said Baowain, Minister of Labour, and in the presence of Basil bin Ahmed al Rawas, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth for Sports and Youth.
From the opening whistle, the RCA team adopted an aggressive attacking strategy. They took the lead in the second minute, with Nooh al Battashi capitalising on a precise pass from Qasim al Abdulsalam to slot the ball into the net. The team dominated possession and nearly doubled their lead when Nooh al Battashi’s powerful shot just missed the right post. The MoE team attempted to hold their defensive lines and close spaces, but they struggled to keep up with the speed and movement of their opponents. Qasim al Abdulsalam played another dangerous pass to Al Battashi, but the MoE goalkeeper, Ghanem al Hasani, made a crucial save.
In the closing minutes of the first half, the MoE team pushed forward seeking an equaliser. Their best chance came in the 18th minute, when Yousuf al Hinai’s powerful shot was denied by goalkeeper Al Muhannad al Balushi, ensuring a 1-0 halftime lead for the RCA team.
As the second half began, the MoE continued to press for a goal, but the RCA team remained well-organised and solid at the back. In the 23rd minute, Aref al Balushi extended the lead with a low-driven shot into the net, making it 2-0.
Despite the MoE efforts to reduce the deficit, they struggled against the intense pressing from their opponents. The final blow came in the 30th minute, when Nooh al Battashi capitalised on a defensive error and fired a powerful shot into the net, sealing the 3-0 victory.
In the final minutes, the MoE team fought hard to score, but goalkeeper Al Muhannad al Balushi’s outstanding performance ensured a clean sheet and confirmed the RCA team as champions.
Individual Awards
The tournament honoured standout performances with Waleed al Abri of State Audit Institution (SAI) named Best Coach, and Khalid al Toobi of MoE awarded Best Administrator. Al Muhannad al Balushi of RCA won the Best Goalkeeper award, while his teammate Qasim al Abdulsalam earned Best Player of the Tournament. Murshid al Balushi of Ministry of Labour claimed the Top-Scorer title.
Ibrahim al Shibli, tournament director, expressed his delight at the event’s success, noting that the tournament received significant interest from government employees, who requested more similar sporting events.
Al Shibli stated that the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth was keen to organise this tournament to enhance partnerships among government institutions and provide a sports platform that fosters social connections among employees through fair competition.
He also praised the high technical level of the final match and the strong audience turnout, which highlighted the enthusiasm of employees for such events. He further promised that next year’s tournament would see further improvements and enhancements to meet the expectations of participating teams.
Nasr al Wahaibi, head coach of the Royal Court Affairs team, expressed his pride in his team’s performance, stating:
'I congratulate my players on this well-deserved victory. They showed an outstanding level throughout the tournament. As government employees, we truly need such sporting gatherings that strengthen our bonds. This event also allowed us to reunite with old friends from our school days, which is a great personal achievement.'
He added, 'from the start of the tournament, our goal was clear: to win the title. Through teamwork and dedication, we achieved this. I sincerely thank the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Youth for their excellent organisation, and I hope such tournaments continue due to their great positive impact on employees.'