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Times of Oman
04-05-2025
- Sport
- Times of Oman
Seeb crowned champions
MUSCAT: Seeb Club sealed their dominance in the 2024–25 Omantel Professional League (OPL) by clinching the title with a match to spare, following a gritty 1-0 victory over 10-man Al Rustaq on Saturday night at the Al Rustaq Sports Complex. Coached by Serbia's Nikola Djurovic, the win handed Seeb their fourth top-flight domestic crown and confirmed their status as Oman's premier football force this season. The decisive moment for Seeb came in the 35th minute when Liberian striker Abu Kamara rose highest to head home from a corner, sealing all three points for the Muscat-based club. Al Rustaq's hopes were dented further when goalkeeper Islam Al Hinai was sent off just before halftime. Despite a spirited effort with ten men, Rustaq could not find an equaliser. The victory pushed Seeb six points clear of nearest rivals Al Nahda with just one round remaining, rendering the final day of action academic in the title race. Seeb will now host Al Nasr at the Seeb Sports Stadium on May 8 in what promises to be a celebratory home fixture capped with the official title presentation in front of their fans. A season of character and class Seeb's championship campaign was defined by consistency and resilience. The Yellow and Green Brigade racked up 16 wins from 21 matches, with just three defeats and two draws. Two of those losses came in back-to-back games last month against Sohar and Oman Club, raising alarm bells among their supporters. However, the team bounced back in emphatic fashion to retain the title. The league triumph was especially sweet for Seeb after the heartbreak of losing the His Majesty's Cup final to Al Shabab in February. That setback became a rallying point, with the team regrouping to mount an unshakable title charge. Saturday's triumph marks Seeb's fourth Omantel League title, adding to previous wins in 2019–20, 2021–22, and 2023–24. With four crowns, Seeb are now on par with Al Nahda, Al Arouba, and Al Suwaiq in terms of title count, still trailing traditional powerhouses Dhofar (12 titles) and Fanja (9). Battle for top-four While Seeb and Al Nahda (44 points) have locked up first and second place respectively, Oman Club (39) are secure in third. The battle for the fourth spot remains fierce between Al Shabab and Al Khabourah (28 points each), Al Nasr (27), Saham (26), and Bahla (25). At the other end of the table, Sur's 3-3 draw against Al Shabab sealed their relegation on Saturday, as they sit bottom with 18 points and no mathematical route to safety. Elsewhere on Saturday, Al Khabourah defeated Al Nasr 2-1. Amir Alaa and Zakaria Al Qartubi struck in quick succession in the second half to secure a vital win for Al Khabourah. Marwan Taib pulled one back from the spot, but Al Nasr's search for an equaliser fell short. Also, goals from Baba Tunde (penalty) and Marwan Al Ghafri gave Saham a well-deserved 2-0 victory over Sohar. And in a thriller that sealed their fate, Sur failed to hold on to a lead despite goals from Mana Sbeit, Mohammed Al Najashi, and Abdullah Al Mashaikhi. A hat-trick from Al Shabab's Mohammed Al Ghafri denied Sur the win, ensuring their relegation. A goalless draw ensured Al Nahda's second-place finish and kept Bahla in contention for a top-five finish.
Observer
03-03-2025
- Sport
- Observer
Seeb to take on Kuwait's Al Arabi in AFC Challenge
Muscat: Oman's Seeb Club are gearing up to take on Kuwait's Al Arabi on Wednesday at the latter's home at Jaber Al Mubarak Al Sabah Stadium in Sulaibikhat in the quarterfinal first-leg match of 2024-25 AFC Challenge League. Seeb's delegation arrived in Kuwait on Monday and they will have two training sessions ahead of the encounter. The second-leg matches of quarterfinal round are on March 12 and 13 while the semifinals are scheduled on April 9 and 17 in two legs too. The final match of the AFC Challenge League will be held on May 10. The runners-up of the HM Cup and the league leaders are entering the match with strong advantage as they have managed to win all the three matches to top Group C. Seeb had a memorable continental debut in 2022 after they lifted the historic AFC Cup. Seeb are inch closer to lift the second consecutive and fourth overall Oman Professional League shield as they are currently leading the table order of the top domestic league. Seeb head coach Nikola Djurovic will depend on the stars who are representing the current squad of the national football team including: Jameel al Yahmadi, Mohammed al Musallami, Ahmed al Khamisi and Zaher al Aghbari besides former players like Eid al Farsi, Abdulaziz al Maqbali and others. On the other hand, Al Arabi from Kuwait advanced to the knockout stage as the best runners-up in the West Region, besides that they are 17-time Kuwait Premier League champions. Al Arabi SC managed to earn a 2-1 win over Al Nasr in the last round of Kuwait's league and they revived their hopes to compete against Kuwait SC in the standings list of the league. In the other matches of West Asia, the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan Stadium in Kolkata will host Group A winners East Bengal of India against Group B winners FC Arkadag. The home side, who won their maiden Super Cup in 2024, are appearing in a knockout stage for a fifth time and were AFC Cup semifinalists in 2013. Their opponents from Turkmenistan, meanwhile, have enjoyed a remarkable rise since being founded in 2023 – two successive league and cup doubles have been achieved by winning all 66 domestic matches to date and they will eye further progress on their continental debut.
Observer
18-02-2025
- Sport
- Observer
Seeb, Al Shabab in intense preparation for HM Cup final
MUSCAT: Al Shabab, who are seeking for their historic maiden title, and four-time winners Seeb are undergoing intensive warming-up sessions for the title showdown of the His Majesty's Cup football championship which is scheduled on Thursday at Ibra Sports Complex. The match will kick off at 7 pm. Al Shabab began their final warm-up sessions at their home ground in Barka, with the presence of several officials from the wilayats of Barka and Wadi Al Maawil. The team travelled to Ibra on Tuesday, two days ahead of the final, to complete their last preparations. The Al Batinah South-based side is eager to end their season on a high note. Seeb players attend a training session. Head coach Hassan Rustam sees this as a golden opportunity for his team, knowing they are just one step away from a historic triumph. The squad is expected to put in a determined effort to achieve their dream title. Seeb Club began their final preparations on Monday, gearing up for the decisive match against Al Shabab. Serbian head coach Nikola Djurovic is focused on ending his team's journey in the tournament with success. The Muscat-based team conducted their last training sessions at their headquarters in Al Khoudh, focusing on both physical conditioning and tactical strategies. A final session will take place at Ibra Sports Complex before the highly anticipated clash. Al Shabab players during training. The Oman Football Association (OFA) announced the seating allocation for the final. Both Seeb and Al Shabab fans will be allocated 40 per cent each of the stadium's capacity, while 20 per cent of the seats are reserved for spectators from Al Sharqiyah North Governorate. To enhance the matchday experience, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth, OFA and the Al Sharqiyah North Governorate office have organised an entertainment zone in Ibra. The fan city included different corners including: Trophy corner, Youth space, E-Games section, Photography zone, Kids' area and Heritage musical performances. Another event was the Trophy Tour which began on Friday in the Wilayat Al Qabil and will conclude on matchday in Ibra. On Sunday, the trophy reached Al Mudhaibi, where it was warmly welcomed, followed by a stop in Sinaw on Monday. The tour has sparked excitement among fans, adding to the anticipation of the final.
