FOOTBALL – MUHARRAQ and Sitra both claimed narrow victories last night as matchweek 12 wrapped up in the 2025-26 Nasser Bin Hamad Bahrain Premier Football League.
Edimar Ribeiro da Costa Junior fired in in the second half to help lift defending champions Muharraq to a hard-earned 1-0 triumph over Al Ahli at Khalifa Sports City Stadium in Isa Town.
Sitra, on the other hand, edged past Bahrain Club 1-0 with Yaya Al Hadj Ousman on target at the Late Shaikh Ali Bin Mohammed bin Isa Al Khalifa Stadium in Arad.
With those results, Muharraq and Sitra joined current league leaders Al Khaldiya, Riffa, and Budaiya as the teams to take the full three points from their respective outings this matchweek.
In Muharraq’s win last night, da Costa Junior sent the ball home from close range after some determined approach play from his team.
Brazilian teammate Arther Rodrigues Rezende was on the receiving end of a cross from the left wing, and he headed towards goal, where da Costa Junior was fighting for position.
He did well to create just enough space as he was defended closely by Ahli skipper Baqer Alasfoor, and fired in with an acrobatic effort to give his side the slim advantage.
Muharraq then needed to endure an extended 14-minute period of second-half stoppage time before the final whistle blew. They secured their eighth win in 12 games and improved to 27 points, tied on the table with Riffa but boasting a superior goal difference. Both sides are three points behind table-toppers Khaldiya.
Ahli, on the other hand, suffered their sixth defeat and stayed on 12 markers in the bottom half of the standings.
With his goal, da Costa Junior reclaimed his spot in solo first place in the league’s top scorer rankings. He now has 10 goals – one ahead of Ahli’s Abdulla Al Hashash.
Meanwhile, in Sitra’s win yesterday, Ousman netted their winner in the first half. He slotted home from close range from the middle of the box off a cross from the left by teammate Kari Kari Aristophane.
Sitra claimed only their third win of the season as they improved to 15 points, tied with Budaiya but ranked one position lower on the table on goal difference.
Bahrain Club dropped to dead last on the standings with their league-worst 10th loss as they remained on six points.
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