Oman lift AHF Cup for the first time
Muscat: Oman's national hockey team made history on Sunday when it lifted the 2025 Men's AHF Cup, organised by the Asian Hockey Federation (AHF), for the first time.
In a thrilling final played in Jakarta, Indonesia, Oman edged past Chinese Taipei 4-3 to stamp their authority in the event in style.
The win marked a milestone in the country's sporting history and served as a double delight, as Oman had earlier qualified for the upcoming 2025 Asia Cup, which will be held in India later this year.
The 2025 Men's AHF Cup, a quadrennial tournament held since 1997, saw the participation of ten national teams.
For Oman, coached by former Oman skipper Mohammed Hubais, the win is a testament of hard work put in by the boys and the coaching staff along with the support of the Oman Hockey Association (OHA).
Previously, Oman had come close to victory on four occasions, finishing as the runner-up in 1997, 2008, 2012, and 2022. Barring the first edition in 1997, when Oman lost to hosts Hong Kong, the other three occasions, Oman had lost to Bangladesh in the respective finals.
The Men in Red, however, got the better of their regular nemesis in the semi-final, winning 5-4.
The final against Chinese Taipei was an intense and action-packed affair.
Chinese Taipei took the lead early in the match when Wei Cheng-Zi scored in the 4th minute, capitalising on a fast-paced counterattack. However, Oman quickly equalised in the 12th minute, with Rashad Al Fazari scoring from a penalty corner to bring the score to 1–1 by the end of the first quarter.
Oman started to dominate possession in the second quarter, and Shafi Al Shafari gave the team a 2–1 lead in the 22nd minute. Five minutes later, Elias Al Noufali extended the advantage to 3–1 with a well-placed goal. Despite some defensive lapses, Oman maintained their edge, and although Chinese Taipei pulled one back with a goal from Tsung-Yu Hsieh, Oman ended the second quarter with a 3–2 lead.
In the third quarter, Chinese Taipei equalised again through Huang Lin-Yu in the 43rd minute, but Oman did not let the momentum slip.
In the 45th minute, Ayman Madheet scored a crucial fourth goal, giving Oman the lead once more. The final quarter was a tense battle, but Oman's defence held firm, and the team successfully repelled repeated attacks from Chinese Taipei.
Oman's performance in Jakarta was a showcase of resilience, discipline, and tactical brilliance, with each player contributing to the collective success. Throughout the tournament, Oman displayed their superiority, staying unbeaten in their group-stage matches.
They were placed in Group A alongside Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, Uzbekistan, and Singapore.
Oman began their campaign with a 3-1 win over Singapore and then defeated Hong Kong by a similar scoreline. They beat Uzbekistan 4-2 and drew with Chinese Taipei 4-4 in their concluding league match.
Omani-led coaching staff
A notable aspect of the latest title victory is the fact that Oman's coaching team is an all-Omani setup.
Led by former national team captain Hubais, this is a maiden and major success for the all-Omani technical team. The success has proven that local leadership and expertise can guide the team to encouraging results.
Hubais expressed immense pride and satisfaction with the team's performance, highlighting the dedication of his staff and players.
'Winning the AHF Cup for the first time in the history is a moment of great pride for every Omani. This achievement carries even greater significance thanks to the pure national leadership of both the technical and administrative staff, who demonstrated their competence and ability to achieve continental success,' Hubais said.
The Men's AHF Cup 2025 saw intense action in the classification matches as teams fought for their final rankings.
Bangladesh took the bronze with a 3-0 win over Kazakhstan. In the 5th/6th place playoff, Hong Kong edged out Uzbekistan with a narrow 4-3 victory while Sri Lanka wrapped up their tournament with a 6-4 win over Thailand in the 7th/8th place playoff. Meanwhile, Indonesia triumphed 5-3 over Singapore in the battle for 9th place.
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