FOOTBALL – Defending champions Muharraq defeated Bahrain Club 2-0 while Malkiya stunned Al Khaldiya 3-1 as the fourth round of action wrapped up last night in the 2025-26 Nasser Bin Hamad Bahrain Premier Football League.
Edimar Ribeiro da Costa Junior scored a brace for Muharraq to spearhead his side on their home pitch at the Late Shaikh Ali bin Mohammed bin Isa Al Khalifa Stadium in Arad.
Malkiya, on the other hand, scored twice in the second half to come away with an upset against Khaldiya at Khalifa Sports City Stadium in Isa Town.
Both contests brought the curtain down on the latest match week of the new season.
The league now heads for an international break.
In Muharraq’s triumph, da Costa Junior opened their account with a brilliant rocket in the 31st minute.
After receiving a pass from Soufiane Saeed Mahrouk, da Costa Junior set himself up with his first touch and then fired in a stunning volley that flew past Bahrain Club custodian Sayed Mohsen Yusuf.
Da Costa Junior then doubled Muharraq’s advantage in the 38th minute with a header from close range off a long pass from skipper Mohammed Al Hardan.
After being leapfrogged by Riffa on Saturday night, Muharraq returned to the top of the table with their third win in four matches.
They are on 10 points as they remained undefeated so far this campaign. Bahrain Club, on the other hand, suffered their fourth defeat in as many outings and remained on zero points in the standings.
In yesterday’s other game, Malkiya took the lead in the 14th minute when a cross by Hasan Ali Abdulla from the right was inadvertently sent into the Khaldiya net by their Moroccan defender Aymane Dairani.
Khaldiya then equalized after being awarded a penalty when Saif-Eddine Bouhra, also from Morocco, was brought down in the box by Hasan Isa Salman.
Congolese striker Joel Beya Tumuteka stepped forward to take the spot kick and he made no mistake with his effort.
A Malkiya penalty by Tunisian Mohamed bin Al Taher Faleh was then saved by Khaldiya goalkeeper before the break, but after the re-start, they were back up in the 69th minute when Mohamed Salem Mohamed from Mauritania was on target.
Malkiya took advantage of some porous Khaldiya defending, and Moroccan Abdulhalim Abbou found Mohamed in the box. He slotted in from just outside the six-yard box.
Malkiya then sealed the win on the stroke of full team when Isa Abdulwahab Albari scored on a quick counter off an assist from Sayed Hashim Issa that sent him on a one-on-one with Khaldiya goalkeeper Ricardo Manuel da Silva.
Malkiya claimed their second win to go to eight points, keeping Khaldiya on six with their second loss.
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