FOOTBALL – EDIMAR Ribeiro da Costa Junior netted a sensational hat-trick last night to help send Muharraq to the final of the Khalid Bin Hamad Cup 2026.
Da Costa Junior starred in his team’s resounding 5-3 victory over Sitra in an eventful and drama-filled match, held at Khalifa Sports City Stadium in Isa Town.
Muharraq needed to play more than an hour in the game with 10 men after star defender Amine Benaddi was sent off in the 27th minute for his second booking of the night.
Muharraq were leading 1-0 at that point with Soufiane Saeed Mahrouk having sent in their opening goal, but Sitra equalised with a penalty converted by Brazilian professional Juda Aguiar da Silva. Da Costa Junior and Sitra’s Yemeni import Abdulwasea Almatari were then on target before the half to send the two teams deadlocked into the locker rooms.
After the break, Muharraq sealed their victory after da Costa Junior scored twice more and Facundo Agustin Tobares delivering their fifth goal. Prior to Tobares’s strike, da Silva again converted from the penalty spot following a Muharraq hand ball, but it was eventually just another consolation.
With the result, Muharraq set up a mouth-watering clash for this year’s Khalid Bin Hamad Cup title with long-time rivals Riffa. The final is scheduled to be played on Saturday.
The prestigious competition, which is in its second edition, 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.
In Muharraq’s win yesterday, they took the lead in the 20th minute when Mahrouk fired in following some brilliant approach play. Brazilian Arther Rodrigues Rezende lobbed a pass on the right to Tobares, who then sent a cross into the box. Mahrouk was on the receiving end of the assist as he headed in from close range.
Sitra were later awarded a penalty after Benaddi stepped on the foot of Sitra’s French import Kari Kari Aristophane in the area. The foul earned Benaddi a second yellow card and he was sent off. Da Silva stepped forward to take the spot kick, which he slotted home to the bottom-left of the net.
Muharraq regained the lead in the 38th minute when da Costa Junior opened his account. He scored from inside the six-yard box after collecting a cross from the left precisely delivered by Rezende. But Sitra drew level once more in the fourth minute of first-half stoppage time when Almatari cleverly chipped in an effort from an acute angle on the left of the area. His shot came off a pass from Mohammed Lakram, and it sailed over Muharraq’s veteran custodian Sayed Mohammed Jaafar into the net.
After the interval, da Costa Junior put Muharraq back in front when he drove in a fine 54th-minute strike from the right of the box. He completed his hat-trick just five minutes later with Muharraq’s fourth, scoring with a stunning volley off a free-kick from the left delivered by Gervasio Olivera Fernandez. Da Costa Junior’s shot bounced off the bottom of the crossbar and crossed the goal line before rebounding out of the net.
Sitra were then awarded a penalty in the 76th minute when Waleed Al Hayyam handled the ball in the area on a shot by Almatari. Da Silva was again on target with his second penalty of the game, beating Jaafar – who had guessed the right way – and giving Sitra some hope.
But after a dangerous da Silva header late on forced Jaafar into a brilliant save, Tobares put the game away for Muharraq in the fifth minute of second-half injury time. He scored with a volley off a short cross from the left by Rezende.
patrick@gdnmedia.bh
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