FOOTBALL – DEFENDING champions Muharraq stayed hot on the heels of leaders Al Khaldiya last night in their hugely exciting title race in the 2025-26 Nasser bin Hamad Bahrain Premier Football League.
Goals from Bahrain national team star Hussain Abdulkarim and Portuguese professional Elliot Jorge Simoes Inacio helped lift Muharraq to a resounding 3-1 victory over Al Najma in their matchweek 20 fixture at Khalifa Sports City Stadium in Isa Town.
Abdulkarim and Inacio fired in in the last quarter-hour of regular time, after Soufiane Saeed Mahrouk and French professional Zachary Marvin Hadji scored for their respective sides earlier in the contest.
Muharraq came away with the full three points as they kept up the pressure on Khaldiya at the top of the table. Only two points separate the two contenders as they head towards a titanic clash on Monday next week, to be held as part of the 21st and penultimate round of league action.
In Muharraq’s victory yesterday, following a goalless first half, Mahrouk put his team in front in the 50th minute after taking advantage of a gaffe by Najma goalkeeper Ammar Mohammed, who had come out of the penalty box to challenge a long pass by Muharraq’s Brazilian playmaker Arther Rodrigues Rezende from their own half. Mahrouk then beat Najma’s Serbian defender Dusan Jokovic to the ball, which bounced over a stunned Mohammed, and Mahrouk was able to slot home into an empty net.
Muharraq’s lead was short-lived, however, as Najma drew level just seven minutes later. Hadji scored from close range on a loose ball in the box after teammate Mohamed Abdulqayoom Abubakar misfired with his bicycle kick.
Muharraq then regained control in the 77th minute through Abdulkarim, who was on the receiving end of a fine lobbed pass from Mahrouk that sent him through into the area. Abdulkarim did well to fend off his marker and beat Mohammed with a shot to the left of goal, putting Muharraq back ahead.
Inacio then applied the nail in the coffin with just five minutes left in regulation. He found the net on a corner kick that curled into goal after going uncleared by Najma.
With the result, Muharraq claimed their 15th triumph in 20 outings as they improved to 49 points. They handed Najma their 11th defeat as they stayed on 19 markers and appear to be headed towards the end-of-season relegation play-offs, which will feature the ninth and 10th-placed teams on the standings along with the third and fourth-ranked squads from the 2025-26 Bahrain First Division.
Meanwhile, in last night’s other game played at Al Ahli Club Stadium in Mahooz, A’ali edged past Hidd 1-0 in a meeting between two middle-of-the-table clubs.
Diego Cardoso Nogueira scored the match’s lone goal with a header in the 12th minute. His attempt came off a free-kick from the left wing delivered by teammate Matheus Lima de Almeida.
It was enough to decide the encounter as A’ali came away with their eighth victory as they improved to 28 points. Hidd lost for the eighth time and stayed on 24.
Matchweek 20 concludes tonight with Al Shabab facing Riffa at Khalifa Sports City Stadium and Al Ahli locking horns with Sitra at the National Stadium. Both games are scheduled for simultaneous 7pm kick-offs.
patrick@gdnmedia.bh
&uuid=(email))