MUSCAT: Round two of the Oman Elite League concluded with thrilling encounters, with Bahla, Al Nasr, Seeb and Al Shabab all securing valuable wins, while Al Nahda and Ibri battled to a goalless draw.
Bahla maintained their flawless start to the season with a 2–0 win over Sur at the Nizwa Sports Complex.
Bahla dominated midfield early, and their pressure paid off in the 23rd minute when Nasser al Saqri opened the scoring with a brilliant solo effort past goalkeeper Yousef al Shiyadi. Al Saqri doubled the lead in the 55th minute after breaking through Sur’s defence. Despite attempts from Yousef Nasser and foreign recruit Arseni Loko, Sur could not find a breakthrough, thanks to Bahla’s solid defence and goalkeeper.
The match ended with Bahla claiming another three points to strengthen their place at the top with six points, while Sur remain in need of correcting their course in the upcoming rounds.
AL NASR EDGE AL RUSTAQ
Al Nasr snatched a valuable 2-1 victory over Al Rustaq at Al Saada Sports Complex.
After a goalless first half, Al Nasr’s Abdullah al Musharafi broke the deadlock in the 53rd minute following a pass from Mulham al Sunaidi. Al Musharafi struck again in the 80th minute, this time assisted by Hussein al Shahri. Al Rustaq managed a consolation goal deep into stoppage time through Yousef al Maamari from the penalty spot, but Al Nasr held firm to collect maximum points. The win lifted Al Nasr to third place with six points, while Al Rustaq slipped to the relegation zone with no points.
SEEB OVERCOME OMAN CLUB
Seeb defeated Oman Club 2-0 at the Seeb Stadium.
The first half saw both sides perform at a high technical level, with several chances at both ends. However, it was Seeb who went ahead through Abdulaziz al Muqbali from the penalty spot in the 23rd minute, a score that held until half-time. In the second half, Seeb confirmed their superiority with a second goal by Hassan al Ajmi in the 67th minute. With this victory, Seeb moved up to four points, while Oman Club remained at three.
LATE WIN
At Al Rustaq Sports Complex, Al Shabab left it late to beat Al Khabourah 1–0.
The match saw early pressure from Al Khabourah, with Darwish Hayel going close in the third minute. Al Shabab threatened on the counter through Ahmed al Riyami but failed to score before half-time.
The second half was evenly contested, with missed opportunities on both sides, until Khalifa al Jamahi’s late red card left Al Khabourah a man down. In stoppage time, Mohammed al Ghafri struck the decisive goal to hand Al Shabab a priceless victory. With the win, Al Shabab climbed to fourth place with six points, tied at the top but trailing on goal difference, while Al Khabourah dropped to eighth with one point.
STALEMATE IN BURAIMI
Meanwhile, Al Nahda and Ibri played out a 0–0 draw at Al Buraimi Sports Complex. Al Nahda created several promising chances but were denied by the brilliance of Ibri goalkeeper Omar al Abri. Ibri also came close through Imos Tadeo, Khalid and Abdulrahman al Yaqoubi, but poor finishing cost them dearly.
The draw saw Al Nahda move to four points in fifth place, while Ibri collected their first point of the season, sitting in ninth.
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