MUSCAT: The curtain has fallen on the group stage of the 2025 U-21 Youth Hockey League, after an exciting third and final round filled with thrilling matches and notable results. The total number of goals scored in the tournament so far has reached 66 goals, and the three clubs advancing to the knockout stage have been determined.
In Group One, Ahli Sidab secured qualification after a sweeping victory over Saham in the first encounter with a score of 15-0. Saham later withdrew from the return match, which was counted as a 3-0 win for Ahli Sidab. With this, Ahli Sidab topped the group with a perfect record (6 points), while Saham exited the tournament without any points.
Group Two witnessed the dominance of Masirah, who continued their impressive performances and wrapped up their campaign with a big 7-1 victory over Seeb. This confirmed their well-deserved qualification after collecting 9 points from three matches, scoring 28 goals and conceding only one. Meanwhile, both Seeb and Sohar exited the tournament early.
Group Three proved to be the most dramatic. Salalah and Ittihad finished level on both points and goal difference (6 points – 4/4 each). Salalah managed to win their final thrilling clash 3-2, forcing the tie to be settled via shoot-outs, where Salalah triumphed 3-1, snatching the qualification spot after a nail-biting contest. Nasr ended their campaign without any points, suffering three straight defeats.
Masirah Crush Seeb 7-1 to Seal Finals Spot
Masirah defeated Seeb 7-1 in their Group Two match at Sohar Sports Complex, confirming their place in the finals. Masirah began with relentless pressure, as Mahmoud al Sheedi scored in the 6th minute and doubled the lead a minute later, finishing the first quarter 2-0.
At the start of the second quarter, Nasser al Noufali extended the lead from a penalty corner in the 18th minute, ending the first half 3-0.
The third quarter passed quietly without goals, but Masirah stormed back in the fourth: Ibrahim al Yousifi netted the fourth, followed by a second from Nasser al Noufali. Seeb pulled one back through Zakaria al Nabhani from a penalty corner, but Al Abbas al Noufali converted a penalty stroke in the 55th minute before Ibrahim al Balushi sealed the scoring in the 58th minute, completing the 7-1 rout.
Salalah Secure Qualification in Shoot-Out Drama
Salalah claimed their place in the finals after defeating Ittihad in shoot-outs (3-1) following a tie on points and goals (4-4).
The match at Salalah Youth Complex was full of excitement. Salalah took a first-half lead through Mohammed al Hasani and Abdulaziz al Rasbi (2-0). In the third quarter, Thabet Saeed pulled one back for Ittihad, but Hazaa al Balushi restored Salalah’s two-goal cushion. Ittihad responded again with a goal by Sanad Saud, ending regulation at 3-2 for Salalah, and leading to the decisive shoot-outs.
Qualified Teams for the Final Stage
Thus, Ahli Sidab, Masirah, and Salalah have advanced to the final stage, which will be played in a round-robin format among the three teams. The top two will then face off in the grand final, scheduled for August 31 at Oman Hockey Stadium.
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
