FOOTBALL – Riffa and Al Ahli both powered into the semi-finals of the 2025-26 His Majesty the King’s Cup last night with contrasting victories at separate venues.
Riffa advanced with a resounding 4-1 triumph over Bahrain Club at Khalifa Sports City Stadium in Isa Town, while Ahli made it through with a come-from-behind 4-1 win on penalties against 10-man Al Ettifaq after regulation ended tied at 2-2 at the National Stadium in Riffa.
With those results, the final four cast in the kingdom’s richest annual football tournament was completed.
Riffa move forward to take on His Majesty the King’s Cup holders Al Khaldiya in a mouth-watering semis clash, while Ahli will be facing off with reigning Nasser Bin Hamad Bahrain Premier Football League champions and long-time rivals Muharraq.
Both games yesterday were played without fans in attendance.
The ensuing semis have yet to be scheduled by the Bahrain Football Association.
In Riffa’s win, Serbian Dejan Georgijevic had a brace to lead three players on target.
Ali Madan and substitute Ebrahim Al Khattal were the others.
An Ali Haram own goal gifted Bahrain Club their spot on the score sheet.
Riffa took the lead in the very first minute through Georgijevic, who hit a low left-footed effort from the inside edge of the penalty box to the bottom-left corner of goal.
They later doubled their advantage in the 31st minute following some brilliant teamwork.
Wellington Moreira found Brazilian teammate Samuel Conceicao Toscas charging into the area and Toscas made a clever back-heeled pass to Madan, who fired home with his left foot from close range.
Riffa added their third when Georgijevic scored from near the penalty spot after Bahrain Club’s defence failed to deal with a cross from the left, delivered by Riffa’s Vinicius Vargas dos Santos.
Georgijevic made no mistake with his effort, which he sent to the bottom-right of the net for his second goal of the night.
Al Khattal then made it 4-0 with a 63rd-minute volley in the box off a cross from the right by fellow-substitute Sayed Hashem Issa.
Riffa gave up an own goal in the 76th minute when Haram inadvertently deflected a pass from the left by Ettifaq’s Abdulla Al Sayed Ashoor past Riffa’s Lithuanian custodian Dziugas Bartkus.
Meanwhile, in Ahli’s triumph, Ettifaq took the lead in the 12th minute when Ahmed Al Din scored with a second effort.
His first shot from inside the area was stopped by Ahli goalkeeper Sayed Shubbar Alawi, but he sent in the rebound to give his side the early advantage.
Earlier, teammate Abdulghafoor Mehri came close but his effort on a quick counter-attack came off the crossbar.
Ahli drew level from the penalty spot after being awarded their kick when Cameroonian professional Fabrice Onana was brought down in the box by Ettifaq’s Abdulrahman Ahmadi.
Abdulla Al Hashash stepped forward to take the 21st minute penalty, which he sent straight into the net.
Ahli then took the lead four minutes on with a brilliant counter-attack where Portuguese ace Joao Maia supplied an assist for Brazilian teammate Victor de Oliveira to tap in from the face of goal.
Maia was originally deemed to be off-side by the linesman, but after a VAR check, the goal stood.
Ettifaq then had a lifeline late in the affair when they were given a penalty after Hassan Abdo was fouled by Ahli’s Ivory Coast import Atton Paved Job Bah.
Mehri coolly converted his equaliser, sending the contest into extra-time, but it was there where Mehri had his second bookable offence and was shown a red card in the 99th minute.
In the shootout, Ahli converted all four of their penalties while Ettifaq missed two of their three.
Firing in for Ahli were Jamal Rashed, Faisal Hajir, Hamed Toure, and Saleh Al Ashban.
For Ettifaq, the opening kick of skipper Alexander Amponsah was saved by Alawi, and then Seydina Diock misfired with his effort going wide of the left post.
Abdo was successful but his shot came off the bottom of the crossbar and went just inches past the goal line before bouncing out.
patrick@gdnmedia.bh
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