(MENAFN- Muscat Daily) It was in April 2016 when Rustaq Club made history by winning the Oman football Association (OFA) First Division title to gain Promotion into the top-flight league, then known as Omantel Professional League (OPL).
However, the stay of the Batinah club, which has grown under the shadows of its region's heaveweight, Al Suwaiq, in the top-tier league was short-lived, as it was relegated the following season.
One of the key strengths of the team, popularly known as Al Annabi, [Arabic for Burgundy], has been its never-say-die spirit, and the team's ascent was illustrated on Sunday as it sealed promotion to the Omantel League with a dominating display to beat Majees 1-0 in the penultimate round of the OFA First Division League at the Majees Club ground.
Rustaq players and coaching staff celebrate their promotion to Omantel League at Majees Club ground on Sunday
The club, which has an encouraging base of fans, thus became the second team to secure promotion into the top-flight for the 2018-19 season. Under the new OFA rules, there are three direct promotion spots for the first division teams while the bottom-three of the Omantel League will be relegated from this season. Last week, Majees became the first team to gain promotion from first division. A delighted Rustaq Club chairman Ibrahim al Salmi said, 'I congratulate the players for their achievement and wish them all the best in the top-flight league. We will try our best to compete in the coming season in the Omantel League.'
It has been a successful start for Salmi and his board, which took over the club's reign only last year.
The club's coach, Hassan al Hashanni from Tunisia, has been with the team since the start of the season and expressed happiness on the team's promotion. 'We are very happy and we hope to finish the league with the title.'
Rustaq takes on Bahla in its concluding game on Friday.
With one round to go, Rustaq leads the six-team final group with 18 points while Majees is second with 17. Sur is third with 16 while Seeb is fourth with 13.
Sur missed a chance to grab promotion at home on Sunday when it lost to Seeb 1-2. Even a draw against Seeb would have ensured its promotion. However, the defeat means Seeb has an outside chance though Sur is in pole position as it needs only a draw in the concluding game against Bausher on Friday to seal promotion.
As for Seeb, it needs to win against Majees and hope that Sur loses its game to Bausher.
In the other penultimate round game on Sunday, Bahla drew with Bausher 1-1. Both the teams have four points each and are out of contention.
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