29-03-2025
Dhofar clinch title, Samayil promote to OPL
MUSCAT, MARCH 29
Dhofar Club clinched the First Division League title after a dramatic 2-1 victory over Muscat in a match held at the Seeb Sports Stadium.
The game started with a slight advantage for the home side, as Muscat players imposed their rhythm during the early minutes. Muscat's attacks posed significant danger to Dhofar's goal, the most notable being a powerful strike by Munthir al Wahaibi in the 15th minute that narrowly missed the post. On the other side, Mohammed al Habsi almost gave Dhofar the lead in the 41st minute with a dangerous header that went just wide of the right post. The first half ended goalless despite several chances from both sides.
At the start of the second half, Muscat entered with a clear determination to win, aware that a draw would not help their promotion hopes unlike Dhofar, who played with more ease, having already secured their return to the Oman Professional League (OPL).
In the 66th minute, substitute Abdullah al Mashrafi opened the scoring for Muscat with a surprise shot that deceived Dhofar's goalkeeper, Mazin al Kasbi. Despite Muscat's attempts to extend their lead, Dhofar made a strong comeback in the final minutes. They equalised in the 89th minute before Abdullah Zahir snatched the winning goal in the 92nd minute, securing the title for Dhofar in the dying moments of the game.
Following the final whistle, the crowning ceremony was held under the auspices of Salem al Abdali, Director-General of Human Resources at the Royal Court Affairs (RCA), with the presence of Mohammed al Yahmadi, Secretary-General of the Oman Football Association (OFA). Dhofar's players, along with the technical and administrative staff, received gold medals, and team captain Firas al Souri was handed the league trophy.
Interestingly, Dhofar players left the pitch immediately after receiving their medals without celebrating the title. The league trophy was handed to Firas al Souri instead of the team captain Ali Salem, and the team left the trophy on the field after the ceremony.
Samayil Achieve Historic Promotion to the Oman Professional League for the First Time
Samayil Club has written a new chapter in its football history by officially earning promotion to the Oman Professional League for the 2025/2026 season for the first time since the club's founding. This milestone came after a deserved 1-0 victory over Al Ittihad in a match played on Friday evening at the Al Saada Sports Complex in Salalah.
Although the first half ended goalless, both teams showed offensive intent. The competitiveness continued in the second half with exchanged attacks, but neither side posed a real threat until the decisive moment arrived in the 75th minute. Ahmed al Farsi scored the match's only goal following a well-organised attack that he finished with a precise shot into the net, securing his team a historic promotion.
With this victory, Samayil raised their tally to 19 points, securing second place in the standings behind league leaders Dhofar, thus officially earning promotion to the OPL. This achievement marks the culmination of an outstanding season for Samayil.
Notably, Samayil played the entire season without a single foreign professional player, a rare occurrence in Omani football. This makes their promotion an exceptional achievement that highlights the excellence of their local players and the competence of their coaching staff.
