MUSCAT: The Iranian team Monsef was crowned champion of the third edition of the Oman Roll Ball Championship after an exciting 8–5 victory over Egypt’s Smouha in the final match, held at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex (secondary hall) in Bausher. Smouha settled for second place, while India’s O.Baba clinched third after defeating Oman’s Salalah 12–5.
INDIVIDUAL AWARDS
Iran’s Salman Arabi won the Best Player award for his standout performances, while his teammate Mohammad Askari was named 'Best Goalkeeper.' Smouha’s striker, Ahmed Hassan, earned the Top Scorer award. The closing ceremony was presided over by Suleiman bin Hamad al Harthy, CEO of Oman Arab Bank.
THE FINAL MATCH
The final was thrilling from the outset, with Smouha’s Ahmed Hassan opening the scoring early, followed by Abdelrahman doubling the lead to give the Egyptians an early advantage. Monsef responded quickly. Ali reduced the deficit in the 3rd minute, and Salman Arabi equalised in the 16th. Arabi then struck twice in quick succession (20’ and 21’), followed by Sofina Sina’s goal to end the first half 5–2 in Monsef favour.
In the second half, Smouha pressed forward and Motaz netted their third goal, but Iranian goalkeeper Mohammad Askari pulled off several crucial saves. Monsef extended their lead when Salman Arabi converted a penalty for the sixth goal. Smouha fought back through Murtada and Abdel Rahman to narrow the gap to 6–5. However, Arabi again converted from the spot for his fourth goal, before Bahrami sealed the win with the eighth in the 47th minute. Smouha missed a golden chance to return when player Abdiko squandered a penalty in the 49th minute, ending the match with a deserved Iranian triumph (8–5).
POST-MATCH REACTIONS
Monsef player Naveed expressed pride we are delighted to win the title here in Oman. It wasn’t easy against a strong team like Smouha, but our belief in ourselves and team spirit helped us turn the result around. We gained valuable technical experience from this tournament.
For his part, Badr al Khuzairi, General Supervisor of Roll Ball Sports at the Oman Skating Sports Committee, said the championship has achieved great success from the very first moment the delegations arrived in Oman. We received very positive impressions from everyone regarding the organisation and hospitality. I can confidently say that the impact of the tournament has gone beyond the Arab level to reach the international stage. Evidence of this is that many Gulf and European teams have already contacted us to take part in the upcoming editions.
As for the participation of Omani clubs, Al Khuzairi explained that our local participation is primarily aimed at developing and preparing Omani teams, so they gain the necessary experience and become capable of competing efficiently in international competitions. These participations represent an important step in preparing our players for exposure and continuous development.
Smouha’s Ahmed Hassan, the tournament’s top scorer, commented that the competition was very strong this year, and all teams showed high levels of play. Despite physical fatigue from the preliminary rounds, we reached the final and delivered a respectable performance. The tournament had a world-class level, and Oman proved its ability to host major events with excellent organisation and constant support from the committee.
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
