Muscat – In a keenly contested final of the Socca World Cup, Oman emerged champions defeating defending champions Kazakhstan in a dramatic penalty shootout on Saturday at Oman Automobile Association in Seeb.

The victory marked an important achievement for Oman considering it was the first time the tournament was hosted in the Middle East.

The match ended in a 1-1 draw at full time, leading to a tense penalty shootout where Oman scored twice, while Kazakhstan managed only one goal.

Oman defeated Romania 4-1 in the semi-finals for a spot in the finals.

Forty teams clubbed into six groups – including US, Italy, Canada, Germany, Greece, Belgium, Poland, France, England, Mexico, Argentina and South Africa – took part in the six-a-side football tournament.