Muscat: Oman Club secured a well-deserved 3-1 victory over Dhofar in the 20th round of the Omantel League in an exciting match at the Seeb Sports Stadium on Sunday.
The first half started cautiously with both teams approaching the game with a degree of caution. However, Dhofar players quickly took control of the midfield, showcasing organised attacks and a strong desire to score. Their efforts paid off in the 15th minute when Qasim Saeed found the back of the net with a well-placed shot.
As Dhofar took the lead, Oman Club struggled to find their rhythm in the first half. However, the substitutions made by the Oman coach injected new dynamism into the team and improved their performance towards the end of the half.
The second half witnessed a strong comeback from Oman Club as they launched a series of attacks on Dhofar goal for an equaliser. Their persistence was rewarded in the 62nd minute when Mohammed al Ghafri capitalised on an organised opportunity to level the score.
Following the equaliser, Oman continued to dominate the game and managed to add another goal in the 66th minute through Yazeed al Ruwahi, who slotted the ball into the net after a well-placed pass inside Dhofar penalty area.
In the stoppage time, the substitutions made by both coaches added further intrigue to the match, with both teams continuing to press forward in search of a winning goal. Oman Club's determination paid off in the dying moments of the game when a mistake from a Dhofar defender resulted in an own goal, sealing Oman's victory.
With this win, Oman Club increased their points tally to 33, snatching third place from Sohar.
Dhofar, on the other hand, remains in 10th place with 20 points, just above the relegation zone.
AL NAHDA SHARE POINTS
In another exciting match, Al Nahda and Al Rustaq played to a thrilling 1-1 draw at the Al Buraimi Sports Complex Stadium.
The match started with an early flurry of attacks from Al Nahda, who displayed organised play but lacked the necessary composure to convert their chances into goals. Al Rustaq, on the other hand, adopted a solid defensive approach and relied on swift counter-attacks. As a result, the first half ended in a scoreless draw.
The second half saw Al Nahda intensify their pressure, searching for an early goal to take the lead. Despite creating numerous opportunities, Al Nahda players struggled to find the back of the net until the 61st minute when Terrence Sawbwa headed home a cross from the right flank to put his team ahead.
Al Nahda's lead, however, was short-lived as the referee disallowed a goal for offside in the 79th minute, much to the dismay of the team and their fans.
In the 84th minute, Al Rustaq capitalised on a free-kick opportunity to score the equaliser, restoring hope for a positive result.
As the final whistle blew, neither team could find a winning goal, resulting in a 1-1 draw.
With this result, Al Nahda remain in second place with 40 points, while Al Rustaq move up to fifth place with 26 points.
The draw paves the way for Seeb to clinch the league title with a win or even a draw against Bahla in their upcoming match.
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