Muscat: Al Shabab secured a crucial 2-1 victory over Seeb in the 13th round of the Omantel League at Seeb Sports Stadium on Sunday, putting an end to the league leaders’ winning streak. The game started with a balanced performance from both teams, with a slight advantage for Seeb, who attempted to find the net early. However, Al Shabab’s defence and goalkeeper Abdulmalik al Badri successfully thwarted their efforts, ending the first half in a goalless draw. In the second half, Seeb dominated possession in search of the opening goal, but Al Shabab proved more effective. Lima Do broke the deadlock in the 67th minute. Despite Seeb’s attacking substitutions, Al Shabab extended their lead through Mohammed al Ghafri in the 86th minute with a brilliant solo effort inside the penalty area. Seeb pushed forward in the final minutes and managed to reduce the deficit through substitute Abu Kamara in stoppage time. However, it was not enough to avoid defeat. With this victory, Al Shabab inflicted Seeb’s first loss of the season and raised their tally to 16 points. Seeb remained at 34 points, maintaining their position at the top of the table.
Al Nasr crush Sohar
Al Nasr secured a commanding 3-0 win over Sohar at Sohar Sports Complex. The game started at a slow pace, but Al Nasr took an early lead in the 10th minute when Abdoul Fadel Saouina scored with a precise header. Despite Sohar’s attempts to equalise, their attacks lacked real threat. Sohar’s situation worsened in the 26th minute when Ayman al Buraiki was sent off after receiving a second yellow card. Taking advantage of their numerical superiority, Al Nasr doubled the lead in the 41st minute, with Saouina scoring his second goal of the match, again with a header from Anwar Mubarak’s assist. Sohar attempted a comeback in the second half but struggled against Al Nasr’s well-organised defence. Badr al Jabri squandered a golden chance for Sohar in the 66th minute, while Al Nasr continued to threaten on counterattacks. In the 92nd minute, Al Nasr were awarded a penalty, which Walid al Muslimi confidently converted, sealing a dominant 3-0 victory. This win lifted Al Nasr to 17 points, placing them fifth in the standings, while Sohar remained on 10 points, slipping to 10th place and edging closer to the relegation zone.
Al Nahdha, Ibri share spoils
Al Nahdha and Ibri played out a 1-1 draw at Al Buraimi Sports Complex on Sunday. The first half saw a balanced performance, with Al Nahdha trying to impose their attacking style by utilising the flanks and central play to score an early goal. Meanwhile, Ibri maintained a disciplined defensive structure, relying on counterattacks and long passes to exploit spaces behind Al Nahdha’s defence. Despite several chances from both sides, the first half ended in a goalless draw. In the second half, Al Nahdha increased their attacking pressure and dominated possession, continuously testing Ibri’s defensive resilience. Their efforts finally paid off in the 68th minute when Mohammed al Ghafri scored with a well-placed header from a cross. Despite falling behind, Ibri did not back down and continued to push forward with quick counterattacks. Their persistence paid off in the 79th minute when Dawood al Jabri capitalised on defensive confusion to fire a powerful shot into the net, levelling the score to secure a hard-fought draw. With this result, Al Nahdha moved to 31 points, maintaining second place in the standings, while Ibri climbed to 15 points, sitting in eighth place.
Saham beat Bahla
Saham claimed an important 2-1 win over Bahla at Nizwa Sports Complex. Saham’s goals came from Baba Tunde and Bassam al Saadi, while Abdulhamid al Mandhari scored Bahla’s lone goal. With this victory, Saham raised their tally to 17 points, securing sixth place in the standings. Meanwhile, Bahla remained at 18 points, occupying fourth place.
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
