FOOTBALL – RIFFA climbed to the top of the table in the 2025-26 Nasser Bin Hamad Bahrain Premier League last night following a late 2-1 victory over Al Najma at the National Stadium in Riffa.
Brazilian Samuel Conceicao Toscas scored their winning goal for Riffa with only two minutes remaining in regular time in the hotly contested affair that kicked off the season’s 12th matchweek.
Vinicius Vargas dos Santos had earlier put Riffa ahead in the first half, but Najma’s Dutch professional Achraf Douiri equalised right after the break.
That paved the way for Toscas’s decider, which earned Riffa their eighth win in 12 outings. They are tied on 27 points apiece with former solo leaders Al Khaldiya atop the league table, but Riffa boast a superior goal difference. Khaldiya have a game in hand and are in action tonight.
In last night’s other fixture, Budaiya defeated Al Shabab 3-1 at Khalifa Sports City Stadium in Isa Town.
Daniel Asante had a brace to spearhead the victors while teammate Hamad Fuad Naser contributed their third.
Budaiya barged into the top half of the standings with their fourth triumph of this campaign.
In Riffa’s win, dos Santos opened their account in the 30th minute when he poached on a loose ball in the six-yard box after Najma goalkeeper Ammar Mohammed could not control a low free-kick by Riffa’s Wellington Moreira.
Najma equalised, however, just two minutes into the second half, when Douiri scored with a brilliant curling free-kick from the left of the pitch. His shot came from a yard outside the area, and it squeezed past Riffa’s Lithuanian goalkeeper Dziugas Bartkus into the bottom-left corner of the net.
Riffa pushed for a winner and were rewarded in the 88th minute, when Toscas headed in off a fine cross from the right supplied by Moreira.
With the result, Riffa handed Najma their sixth loss of the season as they stayed on 12 points.
In Budaiya’s triumph, Asante needed only two minutes after the interval to put his team in front. He scored with a clever back-heeled effort after a cross from the left by Nigerian teammate Clement Ogbobe was not collected by teammate Abdulrahim Sawadogo.
Asante then fired in his second in the 61st minute, netting from close range following a brilliant through-pass from Ogbobe.
Shabab got a goal back in the 67th minute when skipper Hussain Alqassab found the net from the six-yard box. But Budaiya got their third 10 minutes from full time through Naser, who slotted home from the face of goal after Shabab did not clear a corner kick delivered by Budaiya substitute Salman Mahmood.
Budaiya improved to 15 points for fifth on the table, while Shabab suffered their eighth defeat and are in last place with six points.
Matchweek 12 continues with another two fixtures today and tomorrow. This evening, Khaldiya will be looking to reclaim their place atop the standings when they lock horns with A’ali at the National Stadium, while Malkiya go up against Hidd at the Late Shaikh Ali bin Mohammed bin Isa Al Khalifa Stadium in Arad.
Tomorrow, defending champions Muharraq face Al Ahli in an exciting clash at Khalifa Sports City Stadium, while Sitra and Bahrain Club lock horns at the Late Shaikh Ali bin Mohammed bin Isa Al Khalifa Stadium.
All four games are scheduled for 7pm kick-offs.
patrick@gdnmedia.bh
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