Cosmos out to make galactical impact for Omani football

PETALING JAYA: Al Seeb’s Cosmos Dauda knows that winning the AFC Cup would not only enhance their reputation but also be a game-changer for football in Oman.

The Ghanaian striker said a win would be historic as no Omani club have won the tournament before.

The 29-year-old came on as a second-half substitute in the West Zone final against Bahrain side Al-Riffa and grabbed his side’s fourth and final goal of the night with his only shot on target, putting the icing on the cake in what was a memorable outing for Al Seeb on home soil as they reached their first-ever AFC Cup final.

“The game against Kuala Lumpur will be a crucial one in the club’s history and for the players,” said Dauda in an interview with the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).

“We’ve worked so hard, one step at a time to get to this point of the competition. Every player knows what it means to be here. The pressure is always there, but we must take the positives in every situation.”

In their journey to the final, Al Seeb pipped Kuwait’s Al Arabi in the West Zone semi-finals and defeated Riffa in the West Zone final.

The game against Kuala Lumpur will be their first encounter with a team from outside West Asia, but the challenge does not faze Dauda.

“It all depends on the mentality. Al Seeb are a top club with high demands, and we must keep that in mind. We respect our opponents, and we do not underestimate anyone.”Dauda said winning the Cup would go a long way towards boosting Omani football.

“Reaching this point opens the door for us to compete at a higher level. It is good for the country. It makes Omani football attractive and enables clubs to recruit higher calibre foreign players.

“We are going for nothing less than the first place, and we believe such an achievement will hugely impact football in our country.”