29-04-2025
Seeb, Majees face off in Ministry's Shield final today
Muscat: The curtain will fall on Wednesday evening at 5 pm on the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Youth Volleyball Shield competition, with the much-anticipated final match between Seeb and Majees taking place at the main hall of Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Bausher. The final will be held under the auspices of Dr Ahmed bin Salim al Mandhari, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Health for Planning and Health Regulation. Prior to the final, the third-place match between Salam and Al Bashayer will be played at 2 pm on the same court.
Seeb secured their place in the final after an exciting 3-0 victory over Al Bashayer in a match marked by intense competitiveness from the start.
The opener was thrilling and evenly matched, with both teams trading points until reaching a 17-17 tie. Al Bashayer impressed with strong serves and standout performances from Afghan import Islam, while Seeb relied on powerful spikes from Ismail al Hadi and Russian player Bogdan. Seeb eventually clinched the set in dramatic fashion, 31-29, thanks to crucial defensive stands.
In the second set, Al Bashayer started strong again with attacks led by Islam, but Seeb quickly regained control through dominant blocks by Artem and Bogdan, asserting superiority at the net. Strong defensive work from Saud al Maamari helped reduce reception errors, allowing Seeb to comfortably win the set 25-17.
In the third set, Al Bashayer showed determination to fight back and took an early lead, but Seeb responded swiftly with Bogdan's powerful backline attacks and Artem's blocking prowess. Despite late efforts from Saman and Islam, Seeb sealed the set 25-23 to secure a spot in the final.
MAJEES ELIMINATE SALAM
Majees booked their place in the final with a solid 3-0 win over Al Salam in a tough match held at the Sohar Sports Complex.
A tightly contested set saw both teams exchange leads until the score reached 26-26. Majees capitalised on decisive moments with tactical precision and effective serve to win 28-26.
In the second set, Majees exploited defensive lapses by Salam, particularly on counter plays, and utilised fast-paced plays behind the block to edge the set 25-23, despite a late surge from Salam.
In the third set, Majees entered the final set with confidence and dominated from the outset, capitalising on Salam's loss of focus. They wrapped up the set 25-19 and completed the straight-set win.
This season's Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth Volleyball Shield featured 16 clubs: Seeb, Oman Club, Al Salam, Majees, Sohar, Bahla, Al Bashayer, Sur, Shabab, Al Khabourah, Masirah, Ittihad, Mirbat, Al Nasr, Salalah and Saham. The tournament witnessed varying levels of technical performance and strong competition among the participating teams.
