MUSCAT: The defending champion, Al Nahda Club, qualified for the semi-finals of the Sultan of Oman Cup on Saturday, after a goalless draw against Al Seeb in the second leg of the quarter-finals at the Al Buraimi Sports Complex.
Al Seeb entered the match with a high-pressing style, attempting to score a quick goal to reduce the deficit. Meanwhile, Al Nahda relied on counter-attacks. Al Seeb imposed their style and managed to reach Al Nahda's goal through several dangerous opportunities that were thwarted by Al Nahda's defence.
Al Nahda, on the other hand, gained opportunities by relying on counter-attack chances, but luck was not on their side in converting them. Zaher al Agbari missed a scoring opportunity for Al Seeb in the 39th minute when he struck a powerful shot that turned into a corner kick, despite continuous opportunities for Al Seeb, the first half ended in a goalless draw.
The second half saw continued pressure from Al Seeb, attempting to score. Ibrahim al Makhini, Al Nahda's goalkeeper, made crucial saves to deny Al Seeb's dangerous attacks. Al Nahda improved slightly in the second half, creating some threatening counter-attacks. They successfully defended against Al Seeb's continuous assaults, leading to a goalless draw at the end of the match.
Al Nahda had won the first leg 2-1, and with this result, they secured a spot in the semi-finals where they will face Al Nasr in the HM Cup.
Dhofar Club Secures Semi-Final Berth in HM Cup
In another match, Dhofar Club qualified for the semi-finals of the Sultan Cup after a 2-2 draw with Oman Club. Dhofar benefited from their 2-0 victory in the first leg, played at the Al Seeb Stadium as the host for Oman Club.
Oman Club entered the match with a sole opportunity, needing to secure a victory by a two-goal margin to offset their loss in the first leg with two goals conceded. On the other hand, Dhofar's team approached the game with three clear chances, making the match more comfortable for them. Oman Club dominated the proceedings in the first half, attempting to score a goal and narrow the gap, and had several opportunities thwarted by Dhofar's defenders. Meanwhile, Dhofar did not pose any significant threats to Oman Club's goal, resulting in a goalless draw at the end of the first half.
In the second half, Dhofar Club surprised everyone with a fast-paced style of play and managed to score two quick goals. Striker Sultan al Marzouqi scored the opening goal in the 46th minute, followed by Hussein Bin Said in the 49th minute, giving Dhofar a two-goal lead. Midway through the second half, the match intensified as Oman Club succeeded in reducing the gap to one goal through a penalty converted by Mahmoud Al Hasani in the 72nd minute. In the 80th minute, Abdulwahid al Hina'i scored the equalising goal for Oman Club. The final minutes witnessed opportunities for Oman Club, but they were unable to capitalise on them, while Dhofar managed the time as they desired, securing qualification. The match concluded with a 2-2 draw.
With this result, Dhofar qualified for the semi-finals and will face Bahla Club in the next round to determine the finalist in the HM Cup.
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