FOOTBALL – HUSSAIN Abdulkarim headed in a late winner to lift defending champions Muharraq to a crucial 1-0 victory over Budaiya last night to wrap up matchweek 19 in the 2025-26 Nasser Bin Hamad Bahrain Premier Football League.
Abdulkarim was on target from close range with 10 minutes remaining in regular time as Muharraq came away with the all-important three points – keeping their title ambitions alive as they moved back to just two points behind current table-toppers Al Khaldiya.
Also claiming a vital win yesterday were Riffa, who edged past Al Ahli 3-2 at Khalifa Sports City Stadium in Isa Town.
Substitute Thiago Augusto Fernandes supplied the decisive strike in the 89th minute as both sides ended the contest with 10 men each.
Riffa stayed with a mathematical chance to claim the crown but are eight points behind Khaldiya with only three rounds of fixtures remaining this season.
In Muharraq’s triumph yesterday, both teams had multiple chances to break the goalless deadlock in either half.
Abdulwahab Al Malood had a goal disallowed in the 73rd minute after being assisted by Abdulkarim. He headed in from close range but the ball was determined to have gone out of bounds before Abdulkarim made his headed pass.
Muharraq got their clincher seven minutes later, with Abdulkarim scoring from the face of goal off a long cross from the left wing delivered by Portuguese teammate Elliot Jorge Simoes Inacio. Abdulkarim made no mistake with his effort as Inacio’s assist was spot on, and it was enough to separate their team from their rivals at the final whistle.
Muharraq came away with their 14th victory of this campaign to improve to 46 points. They will have a key clash against Khaldiya during the 21st and penultimate week of league action, scheduled for May 9 to 11. That mammoth affair could have huge implications on the supremely tight title fight between the pair.
Budaiya suffered their 10th defeat and stayed on 21 points in the bottom half of the table. They are still in danger of having to compete in the league’s relegation play-offs.
Meanwhile, Riffa opened their account against Ahli last night in the 27th minute when Ali Madan found the net from inside the six-yard box after rounding opposing goalkeeper Sayed Shubbar Alawi. Madan received a fine pass from teammate Vinicius Vargas dos Santos, who controlled the ball with his chest to find a charging Madan and supply the assist.
Brazilian professional Gabryel Monteiro de Andrade then made it 2-0 in the 42nd minute with a goal from close range off a short, headed pass from Ebrahim Al Khattal.
After the re-start, however, Ahli roared back and got their first goal on an impressive solo effort by Faisal Hasan Hejair in the 52nd minute. They then drew level only six minutes on when substitute Victor Gabriel de Oliveira, also from Brazil, netted home after Riffa failed to clear the ball from danger off a corner kick.
In the 66th minute, Riffa’s Sayed Redha Isa was given a direct red card for a dangerous tackle against Hejair. But they still went ahead in the 89th minute when Fernandes scored from the goalmouth after a free-kick from Samuel Conceicao Toscas hit the right post and rebounded straight towards him. Fernandes hit a weak effort but guided the ball just enough past Alawi to put his team back in front.
Nine minutes into second-half stoppage time, Ahli’s Moroccan defender Hamza Buihamghet was given his marching orders for a foul against Fernandes.
With the result, Riffa went to 40 points in third place on the table with their 12th win, while Ahli stayed put on 23 markers with their eighth defeat in mid-table.
League action resumes with matchweek 20 from Sunday to Tuesday next week.
patrick@gdnmedia.bh
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