Tuesday 04 / March / 2025
Muscat: Seeb’s excellent start to the 2023-23 Omantel League season continued as the former champions registered a convincing 2-0 win over Al Rustaq on Tuesday night at the Al Rustaq Sports Complex.
A goal in each half ensured that Seeb maintained their winning streak with the third victory in a row in the top-flight league to close in on leaders Sohar with a game in hand.
Seeb’s former Oman international Ali Al Busaidi drew the first blood in the 31st minute with a stunning long-ranger from the top of the box to beat the diving Rustaq custodian to go into the break with a 1-0 lead.
Coached by Brazilian Jorvan Vieira, Seeb established their supremacy soon after the resumption with Mohammed Ramadan leaping high to nod in the second goal following a cross from the left flank.
With three wins in a row, Seeb have collected nine points and trail leaders Sohar by just one point. The Batinah club have made a strong start to the season and have 10 points from four matches, following their convincing 3-1 win over bottom-placed Al Wahda in the fourth round on Sunday.
Omantel League action resumed on Sunday after August 31 following the international FIFA Days break and Sohar’s ensured they are on top with a rampant victory.
Sohar have been the most aggressive team this season so far, finding the net of their rivals ten times. On the other hand, second-placed Seeb have displayed the tightest defence as they have yet to concede any goal so far.
Mohsin Jawhar put Sohar ahead as early as in the fifth minute at the Sur Sports Complex against Al Wahda and then scored his second goal eight minutes later when he converted a penalty kick. Sohar led 2-0 at the interval and soon after the break made it 3-0 through Abdullah Al Shibli. Al Wahda, which have so far conceded 11 goals in their four matches got a consolation goal when Hamed Al Mukhaini found the target.
Defending champions Al Nahda were not in action this week as they played the AFC Cup match against Lebanon’s Al Ahed that ended in the Oman club’s defeat.
Record 11-time winners Dhofar returned to winning ways, having lost their previous encounter to Sohar, with a narrow 1-0 win over Bahla at the Al Saada Sports Complex in Salalah. Playing at home, the all-important goal for Dhofar was scored off a
penalty kick in the last quarter of the match through Moataz Saleh.
The win was a winning start for new Dhofar coach and former Oman great Younis Aman as they climbed to fourth spot with six points with two wins and two defeats.
Oman have also six points after their 1-0 win over Al Shabab on Sunday at the Seeb Sports Complex.
Another Salalah heavyweights, Al Nasr, recorded their first win of the season, with a 1-0 win over Ibri at the Ibri Youth Sports Complex Club on Monday. The match was played in damp conditions with the lone goal coming soon after the interval when Walid Al Musalami nodded in for the team’s first goal of this season.
Ibri are still in hunt for their second win of the season as they have collected just three points from one win after three matches.
Oman Club edged past a nine-man Al Shabab with an injury-time goal from Emaneul at the Al Rustaq Sports Complex to stay at fifth place with six points.
Al Shabab were reduced to ten men in the 41st minute when Al Bara Al Mawali was given marching orders for a harsh tackle. They were down to nine men when Al Mahdi Kreshi received his second yellow card leading to his expulsion in the 75th minute to be sent off. Despite the numerical advantage, Oman failed to break the deadlock till the dying minutes of the match.
