Muscat: Al Rustaq, Suhar, Oman Club and Al Ittihad posted crucial wins in the 18th week of the 2022-23 Omantel League on Friday and Saturday.
The Northern Batinah Governorate team were expected to clinch the 2-1 result against Al Bashayer, who suffered their 13th defeat this season. Ali al Hashami was the star of the match with a brace to earn three crucial points for his team Suhar. The triumph took Suhar to 29 points among top five teams in the league order while Al Bashayer are still struggling at the bottom with nine points only from two victories and three draws.
Al Rustaq trounced Al Oruba 3-1 to claim significant winning points at Sur Sports Complex to remain in their third place with 34 points behind second-placed Al Suwaiq (35 points) who have a postponed match against the HM Cup winners Al Nahdha to be played on Tuesday.
Mahmood al Shaqsi scored the opening goal in the 16th minute while Said al Dhabouni from Al Oruba equalised after five minutes from the start of second half. Five minutes later, Sameh al Hamrashdi brought the visitors again to the lead of the game while Abdulrahman al Ghassani netted the third goal in the 72nd minute to ensure the win for Al Rustaq.
GOALLESS DRAW
In another match on Saturday, record 11-time champions Dhofar were held to a goalless draw by Al Musannah at the Al Saada Sports Complex on Friday. The Southern Batinah team reduced the gap with the Salalah giants to seven points as they have now 20 points in the ninth position while Dhofar are in eighth place with 27 points.
Earlier on Friday, Oman club registered a crucial 2-1 victory over Sur at the latter’s home in Sur Sports Complex to climb to sixth spot temporarily with 28 points. Sur are stuck at their previous credit of 17 points in relegation zone at 11th place. The winners' goals were scored by Mahmood al Hasani (14th minute) from penalty spot and Kayta (28th minute) while the regulation goal of two-time champions was struck by Ayman Ibrahim (73rd minute).
The 12th placed team, Al Ittihad, registered their fourth victory in the league against Al Nasr 2-1 and they continue to stay among the bottom-three teams in the relegation zone. The winners are behind Sur by one point and by four points from Al Nasr and Al Musannah.
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