MUSCAT, NOV 3
As part of the tenth round of the Oman Football League, Sohar defeated Saham with a narrow 1-0 victory on Saturday at the Sohar Sports Complex. The first half saw a balanced game between the two teams, ending in a goalless draw. Saham had a slight edge but missed three key opportunities that could have changed the result, as their attack failed to capitalise. Meanwhile, Sohar did not perform at their usual level, with players struggling to meet expectations, leading to a scoreless first half.
In the second half, the game became more intense and competitive, marked by the dismissal of Saham’s Salah al Kahali and Sohar’s striker Mohsen Joher, leaving each team with ten players. The teams exchanged attacks, with opportunities and counters from both the flanks and the centre. Brazilian player João Pedro da Silva scored the winning goal for Sohar in the 86th minute, converting a cross, and Sohar maintained this lead until the final whistle, securing a 1-0 victory.
With this win, Sohar achieved their second league victory of the season, ending a seven-game streak without a win. This victory raised Sohar’s points to 9, temporarily moving to seventh place, while Saham remained with the same points but ahead on goal difference.
Ibri claimed a valuable 1-0 win against Bahla in their match at Nizwa Sports Complex. The game was balanced, with Bahla showing solid performance but missing several chances thwarted by Ibri’s goalkeeper, Mutia al Saadi. Bahla’s attacks, led by Mohammed al Mufriji and Hosni al Hinai, varied from the flanks but lacked successful finishing. Ibri relied on counterattacks through Ishaad Ubaid and professional player Jacques Bessan, though the first half ended in a goalless draw.
In the second half, both teams continued their attempts, and as the match neared its end, Khalid bin Juma al Buraiki scored the winning goal for Ibri in the final minute, taking advantage of a defensive lapse by Bahla. Bahla attempted to equalise in stoppage time but to no avail, ending the match with Ibri's victory.
With this win, Ibri raised their points to 10 and climbed to sixth place in the standings, while Bahla remained at 8 points, temporarily dropping to eighth.
Al Nahda and Oman Club played to a goalless draw in their match at Al Buraimi Sports Complex. The first half was relatively balanced, with Al Nahda showing a slight edge by attacking from the flanks and earning several corner kicks. Bilal Bin Sahah missed a close opportunity from a direct free kick that Oman Club’s goalkeeper saved skilfully. Oman Club relied on zonal defence and quick counterattacks, attempting to exploit long balls behind Al Nahda’s defence but without scoring.
In the second half, the pace of the attacks increased, with both teams exchanging chances. Daniel Etor missed a clear chance for Oman Club after a defensive error by Al Nahda. Both coaches made substitutions to strengthen the offence, but Oman Club’s defence held firm, and Al Nahda couldn’t convert their opportunities. The match ended scoreless, costing Al Nahda two valuable points in the title race with Seeb, although they retained the top spot temporarily with 25 points, while Oman Club moved up to 18 points, holding third place in the standings.
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