MUSCATt, JAN 20
Seeb achieved a well-deserved 3 -0 win against Ibri in the first leg of the Sultan’s Cup quarterfinals at Seeb Sports Stadium on Sunday.
The match began with Seeb imposing its dominance from the early minutes of the first half. Despite their relentless pressure, Ibri’s defence managed to withstand repeated attempts by the Seeb attackers. On the other hand, Ibri relied on swift counterattacks, creating sporadic threats.
The 16th minute marked a key moment when Seeb was awarded a penalty due to a handball, but Ibri’s goalkeeper, Motea Al Saadi saved Abu Kamara's spot kick, keeping the scoreline intact. The first half continued as a closely contested battle, with Seeb squandering several chances, including a 44th minute header by Abu Kamara that Al Saadi brilliantly parried, resulting in a goalless halftime.
In the second half, both teams made tactical adjustments in search of an advantage. In the 60th minute, Seeb broke the deadlock through Abdulrahman al Mushaifri, who capitalised on a rebound from the goalkeeper following a header by Mohammed al Musallami.
Two minutes later, Zahir al Aghbari doubled Seeb’s lead with a clever finish from a cross inside the box, leaving the Ibri defence in disarray.
Seeb maintained their dominance, while Ibri’s performance noticeably declined. In the 68th minute, Al Mushaifri netted his second goal and Seeb’s third, skillfully converting a precise pass from Eid Al Farsi. Despite a few individual attempts from Ibri, none posed a significant threat.
Seeb attempted to extend their lead further, but their chances were not converted into additional goals. The match concluded with Seeb securing a 3-0 victory, giving them a strong advantage ahead of the second leg, set to take place at the Ibri Sports Complex.
Al Nasr edges Dhofar 1-0
Al Nasr earned a crucial 1-0 victory over Dhofar in the first leg of the Sultan’s Cup quarterfinals at Al Saada Sports Complex.
The match began with both teams exhibiting caution, exchanging attacks without posing serious threats to the goal. Dhofar created the first notable chance in the 4th minute when Hamoud Al Saadi received the ball inside the penalty area, but his shot missed the right post of Al Nasr’s goalkeeper, Ibrahim al Rajhi.
Dhofar continued to press and relied on set pieces, with Hamad al Habsi nearly scoring with a header that was brilliantly saved by Al Rajhi. Meanwhile, Al Nasr adopted a counter attacking strategy and came close to scoring in the 23rd minute when Mulhim al Sunaidi delivered a precise pass to Abdul Fadhil Sawatina, but the latter failed to capitalise. Al Nasr had another opportunity in the 30th minute from a cross by Fahmi Dorbin, but it did not result in a goal. The first half ended in a goalless stalemate after a balanced performance from both sides.
The second half saw a more open tactical approach from both teams. Al Nasr capitalised on a quick counterattack in the 60th minute, with Al Sunaidi scoring the match’s only goal with a powerful shot from inside the penalty area, exploiting a defensive lapse by Dhofar.
Dhofar intensified their attempts to equalise, with their most significant chance in the 71st minute when Mohammed al Habsi received a pass inside the box but fired over the crossbar. In the 80th minute, Al Nasr substitute Waleed al Musallami almost doubled the lead, but his effort struck the side netting.
Despite Dhofar’s relentless pressure in the closing minutes, Al Nasr’s defence and goalkeeper, Ibrahim al Rajhi, stood firm to preserve the victory.
With this 1-0 win, Al Nasr takes a step closer to the semifinals, awaiting the second leg at Dhofar’s home ground to secure their spot.
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