Al Shabab clinches Mazda Cup in nail-biting final
MUSCAT: Al Shabab secured the Mazda Cup title after Ghanaian player Robert Jansa, scored the winning goal deep in extra time at the Buraimi Sports Complex against last year’s champions Al Nahda.
The reigning champions Al Nahda drew first blood through Faisal Al Balushi in the 34th minute and held onto their lead until Ernest drew an attacking Al Shabab level 23 minutes into the second half.
With both teams fighting for the decisive goal, the closely contested match went into extra time, where Al Shabab rallied together and threw everything they had at Al Nahda’s well organised back four. The breakthrough came in the 115th minute through their Ghanaian player Robert Jansa.
Immediately after the winning goal, the Al Shabab supporters started singing the team song and waved their scarves in the air knowing that they were only minutes away from seeing their team crowned champions of the Mazda Cup tournament.
Ali Al Khanbashi, the coach of Al Shabab did a good job of keeping his players in the game with his spot-on tactical substitutions in extra time.
Al Shabab’s impressive run in the tournament came down to such decisions and the neversay-die attitude of the team.
Sheikh Salim Al Wahaibi, the Oman Football Association (OFA) chairman and Riyadh Ali Sultan, director of Towell Auto Centre (TAC), the sole distribu-
Sheikh Salim Al Wahaibi, chairman of Oman Football Association and Riyadh Ali Sultan, director of Towell Auto Centre were the guests of honour
tor of Mazda vehicles in Oman, were the guests of honour and felicitated the players and staff of both clubs with winners and runners-up medals respectively, before handing over the trophy to a triumphant Al Shabab team.
According to Towell Auto Centre (TAC): “We have been treated to some exciting football in this tournament. Football is Oman’s most popular sport and our alliance with Oman Football Association (OFA) has always been fruitful. Mazda is proud to be the official automotive partner of the OFA as well as the title sponsors for the Mazda Cup – the country’s premier football cup. We are also excited about the new range of Mazda vehicles on offer for our Oman-based customers.”
Mazda has 10 showrooms across the Sultanate of Oman, and the models currently available through Towell Auto Centre include the Mazda 2, Mazda 3 and Mazda 6 models; the Mazda CX3, CX-5 and CX-9 range of SUV crossovers; as well as the MX-5 roadster and BT-50 pick-up.