Riffa and Al Shabab came away with important victories last night as matchweek 15 kicked off in the 2025-26 Nasser Bin Hamad Bahrain Premier Football League.
Riffa came alive late to outclass 10-man Budaiya 3-0 at the National Stadium in Riffa, while Shabab got the better of A’ali 1-0 at Khalifa Sports City Stadium in Isa Town.
Both games featured penalties for the winning sides. Brazilian professional Rodrigo Yuri Franca was on target from the spot for Riffa before substitutes Ebrahim Al Khattal and Ali Hassan Saeed both scored in second-half injury time, while Nigerian Daniel Omokhoa Ilevbare sent home a penalty for the game’s lone goal in a rare Shabab triumph.
Riffa were awarded their penalty right before half-time after a VAR check confirmed that Budaiya’s Qassim Saeed Ali handled the ball in the area on a low Vinicius Vargas dos Santos cross in the 40th minute.
With the spot kick given, Franca stepped forward to take the attempt, and he made no mistake with his effort. He sent the ball to the left of goal past Budaiya custodian Abdulla Efrih Alahmed.
Al Khattal then added their second in the seventh minute of second-half stoppage time. He was set up brilliantly by teammate Sayed Hashem Issa on a quick counter-attack, and he took advantage to score from close range. Saeed then applied the nail in the coffin three minutes on, easily finding the net off a pass from Al Khattal in the 11th minute of injury time.
Prior to Saeed’s goal, Budaiya were reduced to 10 men when Ali Khalil Jassim was given his marching orders for a foul on Al Khattal, which earned him his second booking.
With the result, Riffa claimed their 10th win in 15 outings as they yet again forged a three-way tie atop the league table with defending champions Muharraq and Al Khalidya. All three teams have 33 points apiece, although Muharraq and Khaldiya each have a game in hand.
Budaiya suffered their seventh loss as they remained on 18 points in mid-table.
Meanwhile, in Shabab’s triumph, which was only their second of the campaign, they too were given a penalty but it came in the second half. Substitute Mahmood Alhayki handled the ball in the box following a header by Shabab’s Mujtaba Abdali Husain in the 71st minute. Ilevbare coolly converted, slotting home into the bottom-right corner of goal.
Shabab improved to nine points on the standings to lift themselves out of last place, leapfrogging Bahrain Club but remaining in danger of direct relegation. They dealt A’ali their sixth defeat as they stayed on 19 points in fifth position.
League action continues with another three nights of games in this matchweek. Tonight, Al Ahli and Al Najma clash at Khalifa Sports City Stadium while Muharraq are on their home pitch when they face Bahrain Club at The Late Shaikh Ali Bin Mohammed Bin Isa Al Khalifa Stadium in Arad.
Tomorrow, Malkiya battle Al Khaldiya in the lone fixture at Khalifa Sports City Stadium, while on Monday Sitra take on Hidd at the National Stadium.
All matches are scheduled to kick off at 9pm.
patrick@gdnmedia.bh
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