FOOTBALL – Riffa punched their tickets last night to the final of the Khalid Bin Hamad Cup 2026.
Riffa secured their place in the title decider after taking down last year’s winners Al Khaldiya 2-0 after extra-time in a tightly contested affair played at Khalifa Sports City Stadium in Isa Town.
Brazilian Samuel Conceicao Toscas and Bahrain national team standout Sayed Hashem Issa were both on target for the victors in the additional session.
Their late strikes were enough to separate them from their battling opponents, who had to play a majority of the second half and extra time with 10 men.
With the result, Riffa now await the winners of the other semi-final between reigning Nasser Bin Hamad Bahrain Premier Football League champions Muharraq and Sitra.
The two sides lock horns this evening at the same venue, scheduled for a 7pm kick-off.
Riffa will meet tonight’s winners in the highly anticipated final, which is scheduled for Saturday.
The four-team, single-elimination tournament is being held under the patronage of Supreme Council for Youth and Sport first deputy chairman, General Sports Authority chairman, and Bahrain Olympic Committee president Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa.
Toscas put Riffa in front in the 102nd minute when he headed in from the face of goal off a cross from the right delivered by substitute Ali Hasan Saeed, which took a slight deflection.
The pass was not dealt with by the Khaldiya defence, and Toscas made them pay.
Saeed then had a shot in the 109th minute from an acute angle that was saved by Khaldiya custodian Ricardo Manuel da Silva, but Riffa put the contest away the very next minute when Issa fired in with a stunning strike from a few yards outside of the box.
His sensational shot flew to the top-right corner of the net, past the outstretched arm of da Silva.
Issa was on the receiving end of a precision pass from distance delivered by teammate Sayed Mahmoud Al Mosawi.
Earlier in the game, Riffa had a number of chances to get onto the scoreboard.
Thiago Augusto Fernandes had a 34th-minute opportunity from point-blank range stopped by da Silva.
Wellington Moreira then had a left-footed shot in the 41st minute fly just inches wide of the left post.
After the break, Khaldiya were reduced to 10 men in the 52nd minute when Hazza Ali was given his marching orders for taking down Moreira as he was charging towards goal for a one-on-one with da Silva.
Riffa then made the most of their one-man advantage and Brazilian Rodrigo Yuri Franca came close with a 56th-minute free-kick from a yard outside the box.
Toscas was marginally off target a few minutes later, and then a 66th-minute, left-footed effort from Moreira from outside the area was punched away by da Silva.
That set the stage for the additional 30 minutes, where Riffa came up with the big plays.
Last night’s clash between Riffa and Khaldiya was a rematch of last year’s Khalid Bin Hamad Cup final.
Khaldiya beat Riffa 1-0 then to become the first-ever tournament champions and lift the Khalid Bin Hamad Cup.
patrick@gdnmedia.bh
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