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| The victorious Oman team celebrate after beating Qatar 4-2 yesterday to clinch the two-Test Gulf Cup series 2-0. Picture: Shemeer Rasheed |
The visitors thus completed a clean sweep in the two-match historic series. Oman had earlier won the opener 4-2, and then too, had rallied from a 2-1 deficit.
After playing a high intensity first session, where Qatar pushed their rivals to the wall, the hosts ran out of steam and completely lost the plot after the change of ends.
The match turned on its head as soon as the visitors reduced the margin in the 45th minute through their fourth penalty corner.
Hubais Mohamed al-Shar found the roof of the goal with a clinical drag flick which proved enough to take the wind out of the sails of the home side. Oman then pumped in three more goals past a weary Qatari side in a span of just eight minutes to take a stranglehold on the match.
The second goal and the equaliser also came through a penalty corner. This time, Sameer al-Shibli found the goal past Qatari custodian Shazad Ali Rafaqat off a rebound, after the first attempt from al-Shar ricocheted off the framework.
Three minutes later, al-Shibli once again got into the scoring act with a neat deflection to provide his side with the vital lead. Another penalty corner in the 55th minute allowed Oman to seal the match, with al-Shar completing his brace with another power-packed hit.
Earlier, Qatar started on an aggressive note and their persistent efforts were rewarded in as early as the 7th minute. Shabab Qatar forward, Sami Ullah Saleem, put the hosts in the driver’s seat with a brilliant reverse hit after being fed by Shazad Ali. Charged up by the early breakthrough, Qatar were all over their opponents’ territory.
It was Saleem who again completed the formalities off a rebound in the 16th minute after Sheraz Ali Rafaqat’s first attempt was blocked by Oman defender al-Shar.
“I think lack of fitness showed in the second half. The first session was exceptional but the boys failed to hold on to their lead. Once they conceded their goal, they were in complete disarray. That is when experience counts. However, this is a great learning curve and hopefully, they can improve from hear on,” felt Qatar coach Saiful Azli, whose side would be taking on Brazil in two weeks’ time for a five-match Test series.
Oman coach Sabil Hasan al-Balushi was impressed the boys fought back into the match. “I just asked my boys to mark their key players like the goalscorer (Sami) and it worked in the second half. Qatar also struggled in fitness which helped our cause. However, overall it was a good experience for both teams. I must say Qatar played well in the first half,” said al-Balushi.