* Al Suwaiq miss chance to reduce gap on top
* Al Ittihad, Al Oruba and Al Bashayer relegated
MUSCAT, MAY 16
Seeb stunned leaders Al Nahda 2-1 to take the third spot while second-placed Al Suwaiq missed a golden opportunity to catch up with Al Nahda when they went down to Al Musannah in some pulsating action of the 24th round of the Omantel League on Monday night.
In a thrilling match held at the Al Buraimi Sports Complex on Monday, Al Seeb edged Al Nahda 2-1.
Jibula and Abdulaziz al Muqbali scored for Al Seeb in the 17th and 23rd minutes respectively, while Youssef al Saadi netted a goal for Al Nahda in the 86th minute.
Al Seeb's triumph elevated their tally to 45 points, creating a 5-point lead over fourth-placed Al Rustaq. This
outcome served as a golden opportunity for second-placed Al Suwaiq, as they could narrow the
point difference with Al Nahda to just one point.
However, Al Suwaiq suffered a 2-1 defeat against Al Musannah at Al Musannah Stadium. Consequently, Al Nahda maintained a 4-point lead over Al Suwaiq, who are just two points ahead of Al Seeb with only two matches remaining in the league.
DHOFAR THRASH AL RUSTAQ
At Dhofar Stadium, hosts Dhofar dominated their match against Al Rustaq, achieving a resounding victory with a score of 4-1.
Abdullah al Mushrafi, Awad al Shehri, Joseph Lubaga, and Qassem Saeed each contributed a goal for Dhofar in the 49th, 61st, 90th and 92nd minutes respectively. Rustaq's Musab al Maamari salvaged some pride by scoring in the 95th minute.
Rustaq faced an uphill battle as they played most of the match with 10 players due to Omar al Yadi's red card in the seventh minute. With their tally stuck at 40 points, Al Rustaq's aspirations for third place were dashed as Al Seeb widened the gap to 5 points. Now, Al Rustaq's fourth place is in jeopardy, with Dhofar inching closer at 39 points, securing the fifth spot.
In an enthralling match in the 24th round, Al Nasr secured a 1-0 victory against Oman Club.
This triumph propelled Al Nasr to 30 points, but they remained in 10th position after Al Musannah posted a surprise victory over Al Suwaiq, solidifying their position in ninth place.
Meanwhile, Oman Club are eighth with 35 points.
THREE TEAMS RELEGATED
Three teams were relegated to the first division after the 24th round.
In a decisive match held at Al Ittihad Stadium in Salalah, Al Ittihad Club were officially been relegated to the First Division League after suffering a 2-1 defeat against Bahla.
Bahla's San Hasumi made a significant impact by scoring two goals in the 43rd and 65th minutes. This loss put Al Ittihad's tally at 17 points, placing them in 12th position and trailing behind Sur by 7 points. With only two matches remaining until the end of the league, Al Ittihad's relegation has become inevitable.
On the other hand, Bahla has significantly improved their standings by raising their score to 35 points, securing the eighth place and enhancing their chances of competing with Sohar and Oman Club for the sixth and seventh positions.
At Sohar Stadium, hots Sohar thrashed Al Oruba 3-0 to put the opponents out of OL.
Sohar demonstrated an impressive performance with goals scored by Natalia Muvima, Abdullah al Shibli and Saud al Muqbali. With the win, Sohar snatched the sixth place from Oman Club with 36 points.
Al Oruba are 13th after the defeat with 16 points, 8 points behind Sur, and remain relegated to the first division.
SUR SURVIVE
At Sur Stadium, Sur earned a crucial 1-0 win against Al Bashayer to guarantee their stay in the Omantel League.
The Sur win raised their tally to 24 points, putting them 7 points ahead of Al Ittihad and 8 points ahead of Al Oruba. With only two matches left, Sur's survival is now assured.
Meanwhile, Al Bashayer remained at bottom of the table with 12 points and officially confirming their relegation. The outcome was anticipated given Al Bashayer's poor technical performance throughout the season and their substantial distance from the survival competition, in which Sur ultimately emerged victorious.
This marks a significant turning point in the top-flight Omani League with the relegation of Al Ittihad, Al Oruba and Al Bashayer to the first division, while Bahla, Sohar and Sur continue to strive for better positions. The remaining matches promise intense competition and thrilling encounters as the league nears its conclusion.
OMANTEL LEAGUE POINTS TABLE
(Team, matches, won, draw, loss, goal difference, points)
Al Nahda 24 15 7 2 23 52
Al Suwaiq 24 15 3 6 11 48
Al Seeb 24 12 9 3 32 45
Al Rustaq 24 11 7 6 2 40
Dhofar 24 11 6 7 10 39
Sohar 24 11 3 10 4 36
Bahla 24 10 6 8 3 36
Oman Club 24 9 8 7 2 35
Al Musannah 24 6 12 6 0 30
Al Nasr 24 7 9 8 -1 30
Sur 24 7 3 14 -9 24
Al Ittihad 24 4 5 15 -18 17
Al Oruba 24 3 7 14 -21 16
Al Bashayer 24 3 3 18 -24 12
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