(MENAFN - Muscat Daily) Al Nahda dealt eight-time winner Fanja a 1-2 defeat amid heavy rain in the first match of the knockout round of the 41st His Majesty's Cup Football Championship at the ROP Stadium on Friday. Oman internationals Mohammed al Mashaikhi and Ali al Jabri scored for the winning team after Senegalese player Sisih had put Fanja ahead.With the win, Al Nahda, coached by former Oman coach Hamad al Azzani, became the first team to book a berth in the last-16 round of the 2012-2013 competition. Fanja took the lead in the 25th minute when forward Sisih converted a penalty after Nahda defender Arif al Sheeba brought down striker Mohammed al Hinai inside the box.Mashaikhi then equalised for Nahda in the 32nd minute from a rebound after fellow striker Said Juma's shot was saved by Fanja keeper Harib al Habsi. Just before the half-time whistle, Habsi pulled off another good save, denying Mashaikhi a second strike. In a rain-soaked second half, Fanja strikers Sisih, Younus al Mushaifri and Gustavo of Brazil pressed on, often testing Nahda keeper Abdullah al Maamari. Midfielder Jabri gave Nahda the winner in the 84th minute, smartly slotting the ball on the right top-corner of the goal from just outside the box.Azzani said after the win, ''It is only the start of the competition. There is a long, tough road ahead. We played Fanja, a tough opponent, in our first match and we were good today. This is a knockout competition, every match is tough.'' Hamyar al Ismaily, Fanja chairman, said, ''It is disappointing to crash out on the first day of the competition.However, we have other competitions to look forward to.'' Nahda keeper Maamari said playing in the rain wasn't easy. ''It was raining continuously and the ground was very wet towards the end of the match,'' he said. ''Conditions were not easy, but we counter-attacked well. The only goal we conceded was through a penalty strike, so our defence was good.''In the other matches played on Friday, Al Arouba trounced Yanqul 4-1, Seeb beat Al Ittihad 2-1 and Al Shabab drubbed Muscat 5-1 to book their respective places in the last-16 stage. Saturday's fixtures: Ahli-Sidab vs Al Khabourah, Al Talee'a vs Bahla, Sohar vs Al Nasr, Al Bidiya vs Sur, Bausher vs Rustaq, Al Suwaiq vs Saham.
