FOOTBALL – A’ALI posted a resounding 3-0 victory over Al Najma last night while Malkiya came away with a late 2-1 triumph against Budaiya in the 2025-26 Nasser Bin Hamad Bahrain Premier Football League.
The pair of exciting clashes kicked off the second match week of the new season and they were played simultaneously at separate venues.
Brazilian professional Diego Cardoso Nogueira had a brace for A’ali in their first win of the campaign at the National Stadium in Riffa, while countryman Matheus Lima de Almeida supplied their other goal.
Meanwhile, Sayed Hashem Isa and Mohammed Salem provided injury-time heroics for Malkiya in their come-from-behind victory against Budaiya. Adriano Soares Filgueira, also from Brazil, had put Budaiya ahead with eight minutes left in regulation, but then Salem equalised in the second minute of added time before Isa fired in the winner three minutes later.
Week two of league play continues tonight and tomorrow with two games apiece on both days.
This evening, Sitra and Riffa lock horns in a thrilling encounter at the National Stadium while Hidd take on Bahrain Club at the Late Shaikh Ali Bin Mohammed Bin Isa Al Khalifa Stadium in Arad. Tomorrow, defending champions Muharraq and Al Khaldiya – fresh from playing their first games in this year’s AFC Champions League Two earlier this week – are both in action. Muharraq face Al Shabab at the National Stadium while Khaldiya battle Al Ahli at Khalifa Sports City Stadium. All four fixtures are scheduled for 7pm starts.
Nogueira put A’ali ahead last night in the 20th minute of their match against Najma. He took advantage of a mistake by Najma goalkeeper Ammar Mohammed, who left the box looking to clear a long pass by Sekou Amadou Kaba from A’ali’s own half. But Mohammed mistimed his challenge and was unable to send the ball to safety. It instead fell to Nogueira, who fired into an empty net with his second touch.
A’ali then doubled their advantage in the sixth minute of first-half added time. De Almeida scored from close range with a left-footed effort following a brilliant lobbed pass by compatriot Robson Da Silva.
Late in the contest, Nogueira completed his double after tapping in a metre from the net in the 90th minute. He scored off a pass from the right supplied by Jassim Khelaif.
With the result, A’ali took their first three points of the campaign while Najma stayed on one point.
In last night’s other contest, Filgueira opened Budaiya’s account in the 82nd minute. He headed in from the face of goal following a corner kick by Frenchman Kablan Davy Ngoma, which was headed away by Malkiya’s Salem in an attempt to clear. But the ball went to Filgueira on the far end of the net, and he took advantage of the opportunity.
Budaiya’s celebrations were short lived, however, as Malkiya equalised 10 minutes later through Salem, who sent in a rebound off a shot by Isa that was saved by Budaiya goalkeeper Mohammed Ahmed Al Shaikh.
The goal boosted Malkiya’s hopes and they pressed for a winner, which came in the fifth minute of injury time. A similar scenario played out from their opening strike, but this time it was Isa scoring off a rebound after Al Shaikh saved a shot by Salem.
Malkiya improved to four points with their maiden victory of the season, while handing Budaiya their first loss as they stayed on one point.
The 2025-26 Nasser Bin Hamad Bahrain Premier Football League is to be played in a double round-robin. The first round will continue until the 11th match week, which starts on January 8 next year, while the ensuing 11 match weeks have yet to be scheduled.
patrick@gdnmedia.bh
&uuid=(email))