MANAMA will take on Al Hala in the first semi-final of the 2022-23 King Cup tonight at the Muharraq Stadium in what promises to be a humdinger of a game.
Both sides entered the last-four stage after winning tense penalty shoot-outs in their respective quarter-finals ten days ago.
Manama, who won their only King Cup title in 2016-17, defeated a battling Sitra, 5-4, on penalties after the regulation 90 minutes, plus 30 minutes of extra time, left the two teams locked on 1-1.
That same evening, three-time champions Al Hala – whose last title win came 42 years ago in 1981 – defeated Al Hidd, 4-2, also on penalties, after the scoreboard read 1-1 at the end of extra time.
On paper, Manama look the stronger side with current national team players such as Mahdi Abduljabbar, Ibrahim Al Khatal and Mahdi Abdullatif and former Bahrain footballers Ahmed Merza and Ali Habib as well as electric Syrian midfielder Mohammed Almarmour in their ranks.
They also have another Syrian, the 24-year-old right-winger Mohammad Al Hallaq in their squad.
However, while Al Hala’s line-up may not boast any national team stars, they do have the services of Alain Eyenga, the 27-year-old defender from Cameroon as well as Baba Diop, the excellent centre-forward from Senegal in addition to Kwame Yeboah, the brilliant midfielder from Ghana.
And they recently signed 24-year-old striker from Mali, Amara Bagayoko, who will provide a boost to their forward line.
The game will kick off at 6.30pm.
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