MUSCAT: In a thrilling match, Salalah qualified for the round of 16 of the His Majesty’s Cup after winning the preliminary round match over Ahli Sidab on penalty kicks. The match was held at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Bausher on Friday.
During the first half, the atmosphere was calm, and Salalah dominated possession without posing a threat to Ahli Sidab's goalkeeper. The 15th minute saw a strong shot from Ahli Sidab's Omar Nandung hit the post. However, in the 37th minute, Shabib Saleh from Salalah managed to score the first goal for his team.
Ahli Sidab equalised in the 40th minute through a splendid goal by Omar Nandung after a corner kick. In the second half, Salalah took the lead again with a well-placed shot by Larnest Ba Ohin in the 55th minute. However, Amjad al Faraji equalised for Ahli Sidab in the 69th minute after a fantastic corner kick.
The extra-time periods did not change the score, leading to a penalty shoot-out. Salalah succeeded in winning 7-6 on penalties. Thus, Salalah eliminated Ahli Sidab from the tournament to face Bahla in the round of 16.
Al Khabourah oust Al Ittihad
In another Sultan's Cup preliminary round match held on Friday, Al Khabourah secured a 2-0 victory against Al Ittihad.
The first half of the match witnessed cautious play from both teams, with reserved attacks in the first 15 minutes and a back-and-forth in ball possession. In the 20th minute, Al Khabourah took the lead through a successful penalty kick by Mohammed Diallo to the left of Al Ittihad goalkeeper.
The second half began with attempts from Al Ittihad to make a comeback, and substitutions were made, but Al Khabourah maintained their control. In the 53rd minute, Ishad Aubeed scored the second goal for his team from another penalty kick, further extending Al Khabourah’s lead.
Despite Al Ittihad's attempts to attack and pressure Al Khabourah goal, they couldn't breach the opponent's defence. With this important win, Al Khabourah advanced to the round of 16 in the competition, knocking Al Ittihad out of the tournament and qualifying to face Fanja.
Ibri beat Al Shabab
Ibri Club defeated Al Shabab on Friday with a score of 1-0 in the preliminary round at Ibri Sports Complex.
The match started with a strong performance from Ibri Club, attempting to score in the early minutes. The players missed several scoring opportunities, hitting the post in the fourth minute and shooting above the crossbar in the tenth minute.
The first half ended with a goalless draw between the two teams. In the second half, Ibri intensified their efforts and managed to score the winning goal in the 56th minute through Kleber Calial, after an assist from his team-mate Faisal al Aghbari.
After the goal, the match became more competitive between the two teams, witnessing numerous missed opportunities and heroic saves by the goalkeepers. The match ended with a one-goal victory for Ibri Club, qualifying them to face Al Rustaq in the round of 16.
Al Mudhaibi advance
In another thrilling preliminary round match, Al Mudhaibi defeated Qurayat 1-0 on Friday.
Al Mudhaibi's goal was scored by Al Muhannad al Habsi, leading his team to qualify for the round of 16 to face Oman Club.
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