Saham took all three points from their trip to Ibri on Wednesday, winning 2-1 in the third fixture of the Professional League's regular season. The visitors had already secured two wins in two games before this one, while the hosts were looking to extend their unbeaten run at home. The final whistle confirmed what the scoreboard showed from the 65th minute onwards.
A. A. Salam S. was the man to watch, scoring both goals for Saham in the second half. His first came in the 34th minute, a well-taken effort that put the visitors ahead. By the 61st minute he had doubled the lead, and though Ibri pulled one back in the 65th minute, the damage was done. And here's the thing — the home side had chances to get back into this, but they couldn't find the equaliser.
The statistics tell a story of dominance without conversion. Ibri held 62 per cent possession and launched 113 attacks, but their shots accuracy sat at just ten per cent. They registered only one shot on target from seven attempts. Saham, by contrast, were clinical. Three shots on target from five attempts, with fifty per cent accuracy, and two goals to show for it. To be fair, the home side created more from set pieces with three corners compared to one, but their delivery rarely caused problems.
The result keeps Ibri in fifth place on four points from two games, while Saham move up to eighth with three points. The table doesn't look dramatic yet — both sides have played the same number of matches — but the gap in form is becoming clearer. Ibri came into this with a 4-0 win over Smyle and a goalless draw with Sohar, while Saham had beaten Bahla 1-0 before losing to Smyle and Al-Seeb.
What stands out is how quickly things can turn when you're efficient. Ibri controlled the ball, moved it around, but Saham punished them when it mattered. One mistake ends it in these games, and the home side gave away too many cheap fouls in dangerous areas. The visitors got over the line, and that's what counts.