FOOTBALL – Muharraq were last night crowned champions of the 2025-26 His Majesty the King’s Cup – Bahrain’s richest annual football tournament.
Muharraq lifted the prestigious trophy with a come-from-behind 2-1 victory over a battling Riffa in front of a large crowd of supporters at the National Stadium in Riffa.
Mohammed Al Hardan and Portuguese professional Elliot Jorge Simoes Inacio were on target for the winners on either side of the break, after Riffa took the lead near the quarter-hour mark following an own goal by Muharraq’s Soufiane Saeed Mahrouk.
Both teams had other opportunities to find the net in each half while a handful of goals were disallowed due to offside infractions.
In attendance during last night’s encounter and awarding the His Majesty the King’s Cup to Muharraq was His Majesty King Hamad’s representative for humanitarian work and youth affairs and Supreme Council for Youth and Sport (SCYS) chairman Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa.
Also on hand were SCYS first deputy chairman, General Sports Authority chairman, and Bahrain Olympic Committee (BOC) president Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa; Shaikh Mohammed bin Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa; BOC vice-president Shaikh Isa bin Ali bin Khalifa Al Khalifa; Bahrain Football Association president Shaikh Ali bin Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Khalifa; and other high-ranking officials.
Muharraq clinched the coveted crown for the 20th time in the competition’s history, and they emerged triumphant for the first time since the 2019-2020 season.
They previously made it to the final in 2023-24, when they lost to Al Ahli on penalties.
Along with the His Majesty the King’s Cup, Muharraq also came away with BD100,000 in prize money.
Riffa took home BD50,000 as the knockout tournament’s runners-up.
In last night’s hotly contested final, Muharraq were first to threaten when Gervasio Olivera Fernandez hit a left-footed volley from outside the box that flew just wide of the target in the eighth minute.
Riffa then took the lead in the 13th minute when Mahrouk inadvertently headed into his own net off a corner kick from Wellington Moreira.
Mahrouk tried to clear Moreira’s cross but instead sent the ball into goal from an acute angle, surprising Serbian teammate and goalkeeper Vladan Dekic.
Dekic later prevented Riffa from doubling their advantage with a brilliant save in the 27th minute on a left-footed Moreira effort that was on target.
Muharraq then drew level the very next minute with a stunning Al Hardan strike from a few yards outside the area.
He connected on a powerful volley after Moreira tried to head the ball away from danger, but instead set up Al Hardan for the low equaliser.
Riffa’s Brazilian import Rodrigo Yuri Pires Franca and Muharraq’s Edimar Ribeiro da Costa Junior then came close for their respective teams, as did Abdulwahab Al Malood, who squandered a golden opportunity to put Muharraq in front right before half-time after misfiring on a wide-open shot.
Al Malood was set up brilliantly by da Costa Junior, but he was well off the mark as Riffa’s Lithuanian custodian Dziugas Bartkus came off his line to challenge, forcing Al Malood to the poor attempt.
Mahrouk and da Costa Junior then had goals cancelled for various violations leading up to their efforts, which led to Inacio’s decisive strike four minutes after the re-start.
Inacio received the ball outside the box and created enough space to shoot past Riffa defender Bader Husain Alasam from close range, beating Bartkus and sending the ball into the left of the net.
Dekic later made a fine diving save in the 64th minute on a Franca turning shot and he also stopped Ali Madan with three minutes to go in regular time.
In the match’s closing stages, there was some drama as Riffa appealed for a pair of potential penalties as they stepped up their hunt to extend the match, but they were not given.
The full-time whistle was finally blown after more than 12 minutes of second-half injury time, sending Muharraq and their fans into celebrations.
patrick@gdnmedia.bh
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