Muscat, Jan 8
Al Amerat Club claimed the Beach Soccer League title for the second consecutive year after defeating Salalah Club 7-0 in the final match held at the sandy pitch of Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Bausher on Tuesday. The closing ceremony was held under the auspices of Eng Qutaiba bin Said al Ghailani, a member of the Oman Football Association Board and Chairman of the Competitions Committee.
In the third-place playoff, Al Oruba secured the bronze medal with a 4-2 victory over Masirah.
The final began with Salalah launching an aggressive offensive, as Mubarak al Amri nearly scored in the first minute with a powerful shot brilliantly saved by Al Amerat goalkeeper Younis al Owaisi. Two minutes later, Yahya al Muraiki of Al Amerat came close to opening the scoring in a one-on-one situation. However, Khalid al Araimi broke the deadlock in the fourth minute with a powerful strike, putting Al Amerat ahead 1-0.
Al Amerat maintained their pressure, creating several scoring opportunities, including a dangerous attempt by Khalid al Araimi in the seventh minute. Salalah attempted to fight back, with their most notable effort coming in the 10th minute through a shot by Thabet Salim that narrowly missed the post. Before the end of the first half, Al Amerat's Sami al Balushi nearly doubled the lead with a stunning bicycle kick that just went wide, leaving the first half to end 1-0 in Al Amerat's favour.
The second half saw Al Amerat intensify their attack in search of a second goal. In the second minute, Younis al Owaisi fired a powerful shot from midfield, which Salalah’s defence cleared for a corner. Khalid al Araimi struck again in the fourth minute with a powerful shot, extending Al Amerat's lead to 2-0.
Salalah was awarded an indirect free kick in the seventh minute due to a handball, but Anwar Khalaf’s shot went over the crossbar. Moments later, Muslim al Araimi scored Al Amerat's third goal in the eighth minute, quickly followed by Salem al Araimi adding a fourth in the same minute, solidifying Al Amerat’s dominance.
Salalah's performance noticeably declined after the fourth goal, allowing Al Amerat to maintain control. In the ninth minute, Noah al Zadjali scored the fifth goal, ending the second half with Al Amerat leading 5-0.
In the third and final period, Al Amerat continued their dominance. Yahya al Muraiki scored his third goal of the match and his team's sixth in the 12th minute with a free kick. Sami al Balushi sealed the victory in the 15th minute with a penalty kick, bringing the final score to a resounding 7-0.
After the match, Eng Qutaiba al Ghailani awarded the winners. Al Oruba received bronze medals for their third-place finish, while Salalah were honoured with silver medals as runners-up. Al Amerat were presented with the Beach Soccer League trophy, celebrating their consecutive title win.
Pics by Abdulwahid al Hamadani
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