Al Nahda Club secured a hard-fought and valuable 1-0 victory over Saham in the first leg of the HM Cup quarterfinals at the Al Buraimi Sports Complex on Friday night.
Both teams entered the match with the ambition to achieve a positive result that would give them an advantage ahead of the second leg. Al Nahda relied on long balls, constantly troubling Sohar’s defence. In contrast, Saham focused on counterattacks, taking advantage of their forwards' speed.
In the 26th minute, Al Nahda was awarded a penalty, but Osama Omar failed to convert it as Saham goalkeeper Hassan al Buraiki brilliantly saved the kick, keeping the score level. The game remained balanced with a slight advantage for Al Nahda, particularly in midfield, thanks to precise passes from their midfielders. The first half ended in a goalless draw.
LATE GOAL
In the second half, Saham adopted a more aggressive attacking approach, seeking to break through Al Nahda's defence. Abdullah al Marikhi nearly opened the scoring for Saham In the 51st minute with a powerful shot that narrowly missed the right post.
Saham continued to press and squandered a golden opportunity in the 54th minute after a scramble in the penalty area. Bassam al Saadi struck a loose shot that was poorly handled, and the rebound fell to Ali al Hashmi, who also failed to convert it into a goal, wasting the team’s most dangerous chance.
As the match seemed destined for a draw, Al Nahda earned a free kick in the 95th minute. The in-form Ahmed al Kaabi expertly headed the ball into Saham’s net, scoring a dramatic winner that ignited the Al Nahda supporters in the stands.
With this victory, Al Nahda take a crucial step towards the semifinals ahead of the decisive second-leg match, where Saham will strive to overturn the result in front of their home crowd.
The quarterfinal and semifinal rounds of the HM Cup are played over two legs, while the final is a single match that determines the cup champions.
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
