MUSCAT: Sohar drew 1-1 with Sur in the fifth round match of Omantel League at the Sohar Sports Complex on Thursday. The first half saw Sohar slightly dominate, with several dangerous chances, the most notable being Mohsen Jawhar's free kick in the second minute. However, Sur’s defence and goalkeeper Omar al Ghabshi successfully blocked all attempts. As time progressed, Sur began organising their defence and relying on counter-attacks, leading to a goalless draw by the end of the first half.
In the second half, Sur took the initiative, launching an offensive that resulted in a 76th-minute goal. Erhu Biyo fired a powerful shot from outside the penalty area, beating Sohar goalkeeper Fayez al Rushaidi. Sur tried to extend their lead through continuous attacks, but Sohar's defence held strong. In response, Sohar did not give up and kept pressing until the 94th minute, when Mohsen Jawhar managed to score a powerful equaliser, securing a point for his team.
With this draw, Sur earned their first point in the league but remained at the bottom of the standings, while Sohar moved up to 5 points, placing them in sixth position.
QASIM NETS WINNER
In the same round, Oman Club achieved a narrow 1-0 victory over Al Shabab at the Seeb Sports Stadium.
The match began evenly, with Al Shabab attempting to control the game in the opening minutes. However, Oman Club gradually improved their performance. In the 29th minute, Qasim Said scored the only goal of the match after receiving a decisive pass from professional player Kyatala Taddeo, giving Oman the lead. Following the goal, Al Shabab tried to equalise, but all their efforts were in vain, ending the first half with Oman leading 1-0.
Despite Al Shabab’s attempts to come back in the second half, Oman Club's goalkeeper Abdulaziz al Hassani put in a stellar performance, making several crucial saves to keep a clean sheet. Both coaches made changes to enhance their attacks, with Oman Club’s coach bringing in Al Mundhir al Alawi and Abdulwahid al Hinai to double the score, while Al Shabab focused on finding an equaliser, but to no avail.
With this victory, Oman Club raised their tally to 13 points, temporarily topping the standings, while Al Shabab remained with just 1 point in 10th place.
The match was also attended by the newly appointed Oman national team coaching staff, led by Rasheed Jaber and his assistant Yaqoob al Sabahi. The duo were on hand to assess the performances of potential candidates for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Kuwait and Jordan.
Oman club match photo by Abdulwahid al Hamadani
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