Al Bashayer, Seeb shine in Group 2 openers with straight-set wins

Muscat: The first group of the First Division Volleyball League (2025–2026 season) kicks off on Saturday, with the participation of Majees, Masirah, Sohar, Saham and Al Shabab clubs. The opening round will be hosted at the Sohar Sports Complex, featuring two strong matches. In the first encounter, Sohar will face Masirah at 4 pm, followed by a clash between Saham and Al Shabab at 6 pm.

Fans are anticipating a strong start to this group, which is considered one of the toughest due to the close levels of the participating clubs and their determination to secure qualification spots for the final rounds. The presence of Majees, a club with a long-standing history in the sport, adds further intensity to the competition from the outset.

Masirah’s coach, Asaad al Battashi, affirmed his team’s readiness for an honourable start. "We enter the season with great determination, fully aware of the difficulty of competing in the first group. However, we have prepared well both physically and tactically. The first match against Sohar will be a real test, and we will work to deliver a performance worthy of the club’s ambitions and its fans. We trust our players’ abilities and our goal is to compete for qualification and not give up any points, especially in the opening matches that often set the tone for the path to the decisive stages".

Taqah player attempts a smash against Seeb.

The excitement will continue next Tuesday with two highly anticipated matches starting at 6 pm. Masirah will meet Saham at the Al Rustaq Sports Complex, while Majees will lock horns with Sohar at the Sohar Sports Complex. Both matches are expected to serve as an early test for the group leadership.

GROUP 2 RESULTS

Meanwhile, on Thursday the second group’s competition began, where Al Bashayer secured a big win over Salalah with a straight-set victory (25–13, 25–16, 25–7), taking the early lead. Seeb also demonstrated strong readiness for the competition, sweeping Taqah in three sets (25–15, 25–12, 25–18) in a match that showcased the team’s cohesion and clear ambition to continue pursuing a qualification spot.

The standings after the first round of Group Two were as follows: Al Bashayer topped the table with 3 points after a clean win in their opener, tied with Seeb, who also earned 3 points from their victory over Taqah. However, Al Bashayer held the advantage in the set difference. Taqah were ranked third with no points following their first loss and Salalah came in fourth and last, also with no points. The battle remains wide open in the upcoming rounds as teams aim to strengthen their chances of advancing in the competition.