Muscat: The Royal Court Affairs (RCA) team has secured a place in the final of the Government Institutions Eights Football Championship after defeating the State Audit Institution with a 2-1 victory. Similarly, the Ministry of Education earned their spot in the final by overcoming the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology (MoTCIT) with a 4-1 win in a match hosted at Al Amal Club Stadium. The championship final is set to take place on February 24.
The match started at a fast pace, with the State Audit Institution surprising their opponents with an early goal in the first minute. Azzan al Kindi capitalised on a defensive lapse to put his team ahead.
Following the goal, RCA tried to regain control and impose their rhythm but faced strong defensive resistance from the State Audit Institution, who relied on quick counter-attacks. Azzan al Kindi almost doubled the lead after breaking through on goal, but the defence and goalkeeper managed to deny him.
Meanwhile, RCA intensified their attacking efforts, with their most dangerous chance coming from a powerful shot by Taisir al Alawi, which narrowly missed the post. The relentless pressure paid off in the 14th minute, when Taisir al Alawi successfully equalised, bringing the match back to level terms. The two teams continued to exchange attacks but failed to add more goals before half-time, which ended 1-1.
Both teams started the second half seeking to break the deadlock. The opening minutes saw chances for both sides, but solid defensive displays and goalkeeping heroics kept the score level. As the match neared its conclusion, Qasim al Abdulsalam netted a decisive winning goal for RCA, securing a 2-1 victory and leading his team to the championship final.
CONVINCING WIN
The second semifinal was evenly contested in the opening minutes, with both teams exchanging attacks in search of an early breakthrough. However, neither side managed to break the deadlock until the 19th minute, when Mahmoud al Shaidi found the back of the net, giving the Ministry of Education a crucial lead before half-time.
MoTCIT entered the second half with a clear attacking intent, determined to level the score. They created several chances, the most notable being a powerful strike by Waleed al Rawahi in the 22nd minute, which narrowly missed the target. The Ministry of Education responded swiftly with a counter-attack, led by Mahmoud al Shaidi, whose powerful shot was blocked by the goalkeeper. However, Yusuf bin Mubarak al Hinai capitalised on the rebound, slotting home the second goal in the 24th minute.
Just a few minutes later, Muaid al Khadhouri reignited hopes for his team with a low-driven shot in the 29th minute, cutting the deficit to 2-1. However, the Ministry of Education quickly regained control, as Mahmoud al Shaidi scored his second goal in the 30th minute, extending the lead to 3-1.
Two minutes later, Yusuf al Hinai punished a defensive error by Waleed al Rawahi, launching a fast break and scoring the fourth goal, sealing a dominant 4-1 victory. The match concluded with both teams continuing to push forward, but the Ministry of Education secured a well-deserved win, setting up an anticipated final against RCA for the championship title.
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