Ahli Sidab crowned HM Cup champions

MUSCAT, Dec 17 - Ahli Sidab grabbed their eleventh HM Cup hockey crown in style after blanking 11-time champions Seeb 3-0 in Muscat on Monday night. At the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex, it was Ahli Sidab who controlled the proceedings with their clinical finishing and all-round game.
Former Indian captain Rupinder Pal Singh slammed in two goals for Ahli Sidab after Ashraf al Nasri netted the opening goal for them.
Chief guest Shaikh Saif bin Mohammed al Shabibi, Minister of Housing, handed over the trophies and medals to the winners and runner-ups in presence of Shaikh Saad bin Mohammed al Saadi, Minister of Sports Affairs and Oman Hockey Association Chairman Talib al Wahaibi.
Coming into the final after a confident 4-0 win over defending champions Al Nasr in the second leg of the semifinal, Ahli Sidab were clearly the better team in the final.
Seeb, who got 10 penalty corners, failed to convert any of them to goal. The lack of finishing also cost Seeb, who many a times reached near the goal.
“We were deserving winners. Our players controlled the match,” said a beaming KK Poonacha, head coach of Ahli Sidab.
Ahli Sidab board member Yasser al Shalwani also expressed his delight in winning the coveted trophy.

“It is a great year for Ahli Sidab. We were brilliant in the final,” he said.
Ahli Sidab got the opening goal in the 15th minute after Ashraf al Nasri tapped in the ball past Seeb goalkeeper Said al Hasni after a strong shot by Rashad al Fazari was blocked by a Seeb defender.
Seeb’s moves were mostly orchestrated by Indian recruit Abaran Sudev, while Pakistan international Mohammed Dilber gave him good support.
In the Ahli Sidab side, Rupinder kept the Seeb attacks at bay with his timely interventions and sliding tackles. Another Indian recruit Mohammed Raheel created panic in Seeb defence with his fast-paced moves.
In the 17th minute, Ahli Sidab goalkeeper Amjad al Hasni came up with a great save after an attempt by Seeb from a penalty corner.

In the 33rd minute, Ahli Sidab increased their lead to 2-0 when Rupinder struck home from a penalty corner nicely executed by them.
Rupinder coolly finished a penalty stroke inside the Seeb net in the 58th minute to end any hopes of a Seeb comeback in the match.
Ahli Sidab was awarded the penalty stroke after the Seeb goalkeeper fouled Ashraf al Nasri.
With Ahli Sidab leading 3-0, Seeb desperately tried to score from couple of penalty corners in the final minutes. However, lack of finishing foiled their attempts as Ahli Sidab romped to HM Cup title glory.