Tuesday 16 / April / 2024
Muscat: Fanja Club’s Mohammed Al Musallami was toast of the evening as the curtains came down on Oman Football Association’s football season with the OFA Awards Gala at Crowne Plaza on Saturday.
Dr Abdullah bin Nasser Al Harasi, chairman of the Public Authority for Radio and Television, presided over the annual gala and handed over the prizes in the presence of OFA chief Sayyid Khalid bin Hamad Al Busaidi and other sports officials.
The annual ceremony saw the Sultanate’s soccer governing body felicitating the best teams, individual players, coaches and managers as well as the officials in all OFA competitions of the 2015-16 season.
However, it was Fanja Club’s defender Mohammed Al Musallami who stole the limelight with the OFA declaring him the best player of the Omantel Profesional League (OPL) season.
For Fanja, Al Musallami’s individual honour has come as an icing on the cake as the club has recently sealed the record-equalling domestic league title and Al Musallami was elated on receiving the award.
“As a team we had a great season winning the title. And now I am delighted to receive this award. But I would like to attribute this to the team work,” Al Musallami said.
The international, who just underwent a minor ankle operation, also hoped to recover at the earliest and be ready for the future challenges.
“It is just a minor operation. I will be back in action in a week or two,” he said. “I will surely be ready for the coming matches.”
Asked about whether he will be with Fanja in the next season, he said: “The season has just concluded and let’s wait till the new season starts.”
However, he refused to respond to question on whether he has received any offers from clubs in other GCC countries.
“Let’s wait for some more time. Now is the time to enjoy our success,” he said with a smile.
While Fanja and Mohammed Al Musallami took the coveted trophies, second-placed Suwait and third-placed Al Arouba were also honoured during the ceremony.
Sohar’s Fedran was declared OPL’s top scorer and Al Arouba’s Riyad Subait was adjudged the best goalkeeper.
Salalah’s Hamdan Bait Said and Suwaiq’s Abdulaziz Khari won the best manager and best coach awards respectively.
Earlier, in his welcome speech, OFA chief Sayyid Khalid highlighted the achievements of the season and thanked all the government and private sector organisations for supporting the association’s activities.
Special prizes
The OFA also honoured the national coaches -- including beach team coach Talib Hilal, under-16 coach Yacoub Al Sabahi, under-19 coach Rashid Jaber and under-23 coach Hamad Al Azzani -- with special awards.
List of awardees
HM’s Cup: 1 Saham, 2 Al Khabourah.
U-16 league: 1 Saham, 2 Ibri, 3 Seeb, Fairplay: Seeb, Best player: Arshad Al Alawi (Al Arouba), Best manager: Sahin Al Yarubi (Ibri), Best coach: Moosa Juma (Seeb).
U-19 league: 1 Seeb, 2 Al Salam, 3 Suwaiq, Fairplay: Al Musannah, Top scorer: Ishaq Al Habsi (Al Mudhaibi), Best manager: Jassim Al Awadhi (Suwaiq), Best coach: Abdullah Al Ajmi (Al Salam), Best coach: Khalid Al Maamari (Salam), Best player: Salah Al Yahyaee (Seeb).
U-23 league: 1 Bausher, 2 Sur, 3 Seeb, Fairplay: Seeb, Top scorer: Al Muntasseer Al Riyami (Seeb), Best manager: Yahaya Al Alawi (Sur), Best goalkeeper: Amar Al Shibli (Bausher), Best coach: Said Raqadi (Bausher), Best player: Ibrahim Sawafi (Bausher).
2nd division league: 1 Bidya, 2 Salam, 3 Al Wusta, Fairplay: Ittifaq, Top scorer: Idri Al Idrisi (Al Wusta), Best manager: Tariq Al Junaibi (Al Wusta), Best goalkeeper: Abdullah Al Harthy (Bidiya), Best coach: Mohammed Sabah (Bidiya), Best player: Fahd Al Zaabi (Salam).
1st division: 1 Seeb, 2 Oman, 3 Jalan, Fairplay: Seeb, Top scorer: S Raqadi (Bausher), Best manager: Jassim Al Hasani (Jalan), Best goalkeeper: Mohammed Adeeb (Oman), Best coach: S Mohammed (Rustaq), Best player: Isam Al Bahri (Rustaq).
Mazda Cup: 1 Al Nasr, 2 Sohar, Fairplay: Al Musannah.
OPL: 1 Fanja, 2 Suwaiq, 3 Al Arouba, Fairplay: Fanja, Top scorer: Fedran (Fanja), Best manager: Hamdan Said (Salalah), Best goalkeeper: Riyad Subait (Al Arouba), Best coach: Abdulaziz Khari (Suwaiq), Best player: Mohammed Al Musallami (Fanja).
