VOLLEYBALL – Dar Kulaib stayed on track for a sensational title double last night after powering into the final of the 2025-26 His Royal Highness the Crown Prince’s Cup.
After being crowned champions of this season’s Isa Bin Rashid Bahrain Volleyball League last month, Dar Kulaib are now a win away from claiming another prestigious trophy after battling past importless Bani Jamra 3-1 (21-25, 25-16, 25-18, 30-28) in an exciting semi-final yesterday, played at Isa Bin Rashid Volleyball Arena at Isa Sports City in Riffa.
Dar Kulaib will now lock horns with holders Muharraq in the tournament’s championship contest, which is scheduled to be played on Saturday at the same venue.
Muharraq claimed their spot after sweeping past bitter rivals Al Ahli 3-0 (25-18, 25-22, 25-17) in last night’s other clash in the last four.
The final will be a rematch of last year’s His Royal Highness the Crown Prince’s Cup title-decider – a game that was taken by Muharraq in four sets to complete their league-and-cup double for 2024-25.
The final is scheduled for a 7pm start, and it will be followed directly by the competition’s awarding ceremony.
In Dar Kulaib’s triumph, after splitting the first two sets, they took control in the third and were determined to close things out in the ensuing frame.
But Bani Jamra put up some resistance and the two teams jostled for the lead.
Bani Jamra went narrowly ahead 9-8 after some miscommunication between Hasan Alwarqaa and Ali Mohammed Abdulnabi in reception, and then Hassan Nasser had a big block against Dar Kulaib’s Kenyan professional Enock Mogeni to give his team a two-point edge.
Abdulla Mohammed Jaafar then hit a powerful spike to keep Bani Jamra in front 12-10, but Dar Kulaib stayed resilient, and a block out on a Mogeni attack brought the score level at 14-apiece.
Muntadar Ali then connected on a smash and Nasser had a block on Mahmoud Abdulwahed, putting Bani Jamra back up 18-16, and later Jaafar scored for a 20-18 advantage.
Ali Habib later contributed two straight points for Dar Kulaib to make it 23-22, but Jaafar was able to extend the set with an attack that levelled it at 24-apiece.
The two sides continued to trade jabs on multiple rallies, with Jaafar playing the starring role for Bani Jamra in keeping them in the fight.
But then Abdulnabi and Abdulwahed sealed their comeback with the clinching points to end the match and send Dar Kulaib into the final.
For Muharraq, they took the first set against Ahli in convincing fashion with Majeed Mohammed providing the closing point.
They maintained their fine play in the second and Swedish import Jacob Link helped them stay in front late on before a monster block by Mahmood Alafyah on Sayed Mohammed Alabbar gave them a commanding 2-0 cushion.
Muharraq rode their momentum into the third set, building a 9-2 lead on a Link spike and never looking back.
A block out on a Sayed Hashem Issa attack wrapped up the clash for the victors and set the stage for this weekend’s mouth-watering title affair.
patrick@gdnmedia.bh
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