Tuesday 24 / September / 2024
Muscat: Former champions Seeb toppled Sohar at the top of the table in the ongoing 2023-24 Omantel Football League in style as they thrashed Al Wahda 4-0 in the sixth round games played last week.
The win helped Seeb reach the top with a game in hand while Sohar, which dominated the early rounds as leaders, suffered a 2-1 defeat at the hands of defending champions Al Nahda.
Oman climbed to second spot with a narrow 1-0 win over Salalah heavyweights Al Nasr.
Following the conclusion of the latest round of matches played over the weekend, Seeb lead the table with 13 points after five matches while Oman have 12 points from six games.
Sohar slipped to third spot with 11 points after six matches while holders Al Nahda are at fourth spot with 11 points but lag behind on goal-difference. However, Nahda have also a game in hand Sur, which won 2-0 against Bahla, are fifth on the standings with nine points from five matches while Al Shabab, which stunned record title-holders Dhofar 2-1 in the latest round, have climbed to sixth place with eight points from six matches.
Dhofar, the 11-time champions moved below their victors with seven points from six games while Al Rustaq, which won 2-1 against Ibri, have six points from six rounds.
Al Nasr are in the bottom-four bracket along with Bahla, Al Wahda and Ibri. Both Al Nasr and Ibri have played five matches so far.
At the Sur Sports Complex, Seeb demolished Al Wahda in their away game.
Coached by Jorvan Vieira of Brazil, Seeb made their intentions clear as a title contenders with the latest victory. Jackson Besan, their foreign recruit, got the breakthrough at the half hour mark as Seeb went into break with a 1-0 lead.
Besan got his and the team’s second goal, nodding in a powerful header off a cross from Zaher Al Aghbari soon after the break. Al Aghbari took the match beyond the rivals with a goal in the dying minutes of the match and experienced Mohsin Al Ghassani rounded off the emphatic victory in the injury time of the match.
At the Ibri Sports Complex, Al Rustaq recorded their maiden win of the season with a 2-1 result against the hosts. Goals from Robert in the 47th minute and Yaseen Al Shiyadi in the 55th minute powered Rustaq to victory, while Ibri managed a consolation goal through Faisal Al Aghbari in the 97th minute.
First defeat for Sohar
Early leaders Sohar suffered their first defeat of the season when hosts Al Nahda pulled off a thrilling 2-1 win over Sohar at the Al Buraimi Sports Complex.
Hamood Al Saadi got the opening goal for Al Nahda at the stroke of half-time and Issam Al Subhi made it 2-0 soon after the resumption.
Ali Al Balushi reduced the margin in the injury time of the second half for Sohar.
Hat-trick of wins
Oman Club are in imperious form this season as they scored their third successive and fourth overall win of the season when they edged past Al Nasr 1-0 at Seeb Stadium on Thursday.
Hosni Mubarak scored the decisive goal just before half-time for Oman, who are now just a point behind leaders Seeb with 12 points.
Elsewhere, Sur, under new coach Abdul Hameed al Wuraimi from Tunisia, defeated Bahla 2-0 at the Sur Sports Complex.
Mohammed Nasser found the opening goal in the 14th minute and Ahed al Hudaifi doubled the lead for his team in the 63rd minute.
For Bahla, it was their third successive defeat after they made a solid start with a win over fancied Al Nasr in their season opener.
The seventh week of Omantel League will resume on October 10.
