Al Shabab thrash Al Khabourah to stay in title race

MUSCAT: Al Shabab continued their strong run in the Jindal League, securing a commanding 3–0 victory over their guests Al Khabourah at Seeb Sports Stadium in Week 15 action, reaffirming their determination to chase the league leaders and maintain pressure in the title race.

Both teams entered the match with a clear intent to control the midfield, and the opening minutes saw balanced play and mutual attempts to dominate possession. The rhythm was briefly disrupted when Al Shabab’s foreign player Robin suffered an injury that halted play for several minutes. Once the match resumed, Al Shabab intensified their attacking pressure, capitalising on Kenian’s movement and their quick transitions from defence to attack.

Al Shabab players celebrate scoring the winning goal.

The breakthrough came in the 13th minute from a free kick near Al Khabourah’s penalty area, taken by Musab al Maamari. Goalkeeper Youssef al Sheyadi produced an excellent save, but the rebound fell kindly to Maliko Kenian, who reacted swiftly and slotted the ball into the net to give Al Shabab the lead. After conceding, Al Khabourah attempted to respond through the energetic runs of left-back Jan Herms, who delivered several crosses into the box, but Al Shabab’s defence remained alert and neutralised the danger.

Al Shabab and Al Khabourah players in action during the match.

Before the end of the first half, Kenian capitalised on a defensive error by Al Khabourah in the 40th minute, controlling the ball confidently before firing it into the net to double the advantage and send Al Shabab into halftime with a comfortable 2–0 lead.

In the second half, Al Khabourah showed improvement, with the coach making several substitutions to enhance performance, bringing renewed energy and better midfield organisation. The visitors increased their attacking efforts but lacked the decisive finishing touch in front of goal.

Al Shabab and Al Khabourah players fight for the ball.

In the 64th minute, a swift counterattack saw Kenian once again demonstrate his quality, skillfully controlling the ball and striking powerfully into the net to complete his hat-trick and effectively seal the match. As the tempo dropped in the closing stages, the referee issued a red card to Al Khabourah’s Salmeen al Battashi in the 85th minute for a rough challenge, compounding the visitors’ difficulties until the final whistle.

With this victory, Al Shabab raised their tally to 32 points in second place, continuing their pursuit of leaders Al Seeb, while Al Khabourah remain on 14 points in ninth place, leaving their position increasingly precarious as the decisive stages of the competition approach.