2 days ago
Masirah, Salalah win openers as U21 League begins
Muscat, Aug 15
The preliminary round of the 2025 Youth Hockey League U21 continues on Friday with two matches. Al Nasr will face Al Ittihad at the Sultan Qaboos Youth Complex for Culture and Entertainment in Salalah, while Sohar will meet Ahli Sidab at the Sohar Sports Complex.
The round will conclude on Sunday with two more games: Sohar will play against Seeb at Sohar Sports Complex and Al Ittihad will face Salalah at the Sultan Qaboos Youth Complex for Culture and Entertainment in Salalah.
In the opening fixtures of the first round, Masirah secured a 3–0 victory over Seeb, while Salalah impressed with a 2–0 win against Al Nasr.
In Group B action, Masirah recorded a convincing 3–0 victory over Seeb at the Hockey Oman Stadium in Al Amerat. The game began at a balanced pace, with Masirah having a slight edge as Al Abbas al Nofli and Al Bara al Nofli attempted to establish early dominance. Seeb relied on counterattacks led by Al Waleed al Raisi and Abdulaziz al Hasani. In the 15th minute, Al Abbas al Nofli broke the deadlock with a powerful shot from inside the circle following a precise pass, ending the first quarter 1–0 in Masirah's favour.
In the second quarter, Seeb pushed forward seeking an equaliser through the runs of Mohammed al Shibli, but Masirah's defence stood firm. Masirah nearly doubled their lead from a counterattack led by Al Bara al Nofli, but goalkeeper Issa al Raisi made a fine save, keeping the score 1–0 at half-time.
The third quarter saw Seeb win several penalty corners, but Masirah goalkeeper Ali al Balushi denied them all. With Seeb pushing forward in the final quarter, Masirah exploited the spaces as Al Bara al Nofli scored the second goal in the 55th minute, followed by Nasser al Nofli adding a third three minutes later, sealing a 3–0 victory and three valuable points.
SALALAH BLANK AL NASR
In Group C, Salalah earned a 2–0 victory over Al Nasr. The first quarter was evenly matched with both teams creating chances but failing to score. At the start of the second quarter, Salalah came out strong, opening the scoring through Jumaa Matar al Hinai in the 16th minute, before Abdulaziz Ahmed al Rasbi doubled the lead in the 20th minute from a quick counterattack.
Al Nasr tried to reduce the deficit through the efforts of Mohammed al Jabri and Deem al Alawi, but Salalah's defence remained solid. The third and fourth quarters passed without a change in the scoreline, giving Salalah a comfortable 2–0 win to kick off their tournament campaign.
This year's league features eight clubs divided into three groups. Group A includes Ahli Sidab and Sohar; Group B includes Seeb, Sohar and Masirah; and Group C includes Al Ittihad, Salalah and Al Nasr. The preliminary round is played in a double round-robin format, with the top team from each group advancing to the final stage. Matches are held at hockey fields in sports complexes and the Hockey Oman Stadium in Al Amerat. The final stage follows a single round-robin format, after which the top two teams play a decisive match to determine the league champion.
The organising committee has allocated trophies and prizes: the champions receive the league cup, 25 gold medals and a cash prize of RO 2,500; the runner-ups get 25 silver medals and RO 1,500; and the third-placed team receives 25 bronze medals and RO 1,000. Special awards are also presented for best player, best goalkeeper and top-scorer, each including a commemorative gift and a cash prize of 50 rials.
