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| AFC Cup |
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| Al Nahda advance with Shaab win |
NIZWA - Oman League champions Al Nahda qualified for the knockout stage of the AFC Cup after their 2-0 win over Shaab Hadramaout in their final Group C match at Nizwa stadium on Wednesday.
Al Nahda took the lead in the 14th minute through Mansoor Al Naaimi before Mohamed Al Mashaikhi made it 2-0 a minute before the break to give Al Nahda their second win in the competition.
The victory was vital for Al Nahda as they topped the group with nine points while defending champions Shabab Al Ordun defeated previous group leaders Al Najma 3-2 in the other match on the night.
Al Nahda took the lead when Mansoor Al Naaimi fired home a powerful free kick from the edge of the area past Shaab Hadramaout goalkeeper Ahmed Wabar.
Al Nahda continued to dominate and should have doubled their advantage after 18 minutes when Ivory Coast midfielder Dadie Hyacinthe sent his header wide while Mohammed Al Mashaikhi beat the goalkeeper to the ball but his effort went over the bar.
But Al Nahda scored their second goal a minute before the break when Al Mashaikhi, who had failed to beat the goalkeeper seconds earlier, received the ball inside the area before firing a shot into the net with the help of a deflection off Shaab Hadramaout defender Saleh Bin Rabiah.
Al Nahda's dominance continued into the second half and they went close in the 56th minute after a free kick from Mansoor Al Naaimi which was headed wide by defender Sabri Al Alawi.
Al Nahda had another chance on the hour mark but Mohamed Al Mashaikhi's effort went wide just seconds before Shaab Hadramaout striker Munassar Ba Haj sent a shot into the side netting.
The best chance for Shaab Hadramaout came in the 68th minute when Ethiopian midfielder Ashenafi Wolde struck a powerful shot from outside the area which was pushed away for a corner by Al Nahda goalkeeper Ahmed Al Khatri.
Shaab Hadramaout continued to search for a goal and get back into the game and they should have scored after 77 minutes but Ammar Al Keldi's volley from inside the area went wide.
The Yemen Cup champions tried their best to score in the remaining minutes of the game but they couldn't break the resolute Al Nahda defence which held firm to ensure the victory and secure a place in the quarter-finals.
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