MUSCAT: Oman’s beach soccer team secured an exciting 6-5 victory over Belarus in their second friendly match, played on Saturday evening at the sand pitch of Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Bausher. The match came as part of the team’s internal training camp being held from March 23 to 30 in preparation for the 6th Asian Beach Games, which will take place in Sanya, China, from April 22 to 30. The contest carried a strong competitive edge from the outset, with both sides closely matched and exchanging control and chances until the closing moments.
Oman entered the match with an early attacking rhythm and opened the scoring quickly through Abdullah al Sooti in the second minute of the first period. Belarus responded just one minute later through Yury Petrovsky to restore parity early in the game. Belarus then maintained their pressure and took the lead in the seventh minute of the first period through Ihar Breshtsel, but the Omani Red did not take long to respond, as Sami al Balushi equalised in the ninth minute, leaving the opening period finely balanced.
In the second period, both teams continued to trade the advantage and Belarus went ahead once again through Uladzislau Kananenka in the eighth minute. Oman, however, remained fully in the contest and drew level once more when Sami al Balushi scored his second personal goal and Oman’s third in the 11th minute, keeping the match open to all possibilities before the decisive final period.
With the start of the third period, the intensity rose sharply. Qusai al Balushi scored Oman’s fourth goal in the fifth minute before Sami al Balushi struck again in the seventh minute to complete his hat-trick and give Oman a 5-4 lead, delivering one of the standout performances of the match. Belarus refused to surrender and reduced the deficit with Aliye Haboun’s goal in the eighth minute. Amid this fluctuating scenario, Musallam al Oraimi scored the decisive goal for Oman in the eighth minute of the third period.
Belarus then pulled one back again through Mikata Shakiouska in the ninth minute, setting up a tense finish. Oman’s players managed to hold on and secure an important 6-5 victory in a match that reflected the team’s attacking readiness, despite the need for greater defensive solidity against an opponent with varied solutions in the final third. The match saw only one booking, issued to Belarus player Yauhien Novika in the 10th minute of the third period for reckless play, while there were no dismissals.
This friendly win represents both a morale-boosting and technical gain for Oman, especially as the match featured a variety of scorers, giving the technical staff positive indicators ahead of the next phase of preparations. The result gains added significance considering the strength of the opposition, with Belarus ranked fourth in the world in the latest beach soccer national team rankings issued on January 19, 2026, while Oman was ranked 11th.
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