Muscat, Jan 30
Al Nasr secured a commanding 4-0 victory over Dhofar in their second-leg clash on Wednesday at Salalah Sports Stadium in the HM Cup quarterfinals. With this triumph, Al Nasr advanced to the semifinals, having already won the first leg 1-0 and knocked out the defending champions from the tournament.
The first half saw an exchange of attacks, with Abdul Fadel Saounina coming close to an early opener for Al Nasr, while Dhofar responded with a dangerous attempt from Mohammed al Habsi, which goalkeeper Ibrahim al Rajhi brilliantly saved. The deadlock remained until the 43rd minute, when Juma Marhoon al Habsi struck the first goal for Al Nasr, giving his team a 1-0 lead at half-time.
Dhofar attempted a comeback early in the second half, but Al Nasr extended their lead in the 52nd minute through an own goal by Dhofar defender Mustafa Saal, who misjudged his clearance. Dhofar’s struggles worsened when Firas al Souri was sent off in the 70th minute.
Taking advantage of their numerical superiority, Al Nasr netted a third goal in the 79th minute through Khalid al Ghatrifi, before Walid al Muslami completed the rout in the 88th minute. The emphatic 4-0 victory ensured Al Nasr’s well-deserved place in the semifinals.
SEEB CONTINUE DOMINANCE
Seeb continued their dominance over Ibri, securing another 3-0 win in the second leg of the quarterfinals at Ibri Sports Complex. This result confirmed Seeb’s spot in the semifinals, having won by the same scoreline in the first leg at home.
Seeb started the match strongly, aiming to settle the tie early. The opening goal came in the 16th minute when Abdulaziz al Maqbali capitalised on a well-placed cross inside the box, slotting the ball into the net.
The pressure from Seeb continued, with Amjad al Harthy nearly doubling the lead in the 30th minute with a powerful shot that went over the bar. However, he made amends four minutes later with a stunning long-range strike that surprised goalkeeper Murshid al Hamhami, making it 2-0.
Not satisfied with a two goal lead, Seeb struck again four minutes later when Ahmed al Khamisi headed home a well taken cross, wrapping up the first half with a 3-0 lead.
In the second half, Ibri attempted to close the gap through counter-attacks and had a dangerous opportunity in the 66th minute via Yahya al Yaqubi, but he failed to convert. Meanwhile, Seeb maintained control of possession but could not add to their tally. The match ended 3-0, confirming Seeb’s deserved qualification to the semifinals.
AL SHABAB EDGE SOHAR
Al Shabab secured a place in the semifinals after holding Sohar to a 0-0 draw on Wednesday at Sohar Sports Complex, advancing on aggregate after winning the first leg 1-0.
The match was evenly contested, with both teams creating chances but failing to find the net. Al Shabab’s Hatim al Roshdi and Hassan Korani posed a threat, while Sohar’s best opportunities came through Abdul Muin al Marzouqi and Youssef al Saadi, but neither side could capitalise.
With this result, Al Shabab will face Al Nasr, while Seeb take on Saham in the semifinals. The first-leg matches are scheduled for February 7 and 8, with the return legs of the semifinals set for February 14 and 15.
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
